I was recently at an event where a 6-year-old, in a confused state, asked me if I was a boy or a girl? This was an odd question because I’ve known this child since birth and my gender has never been in question.
The comment its self was not disturbing, but what I understand from this question is, the moral shame of being LGBT+ has been pointed out as a lesson for a six-year-old.
For me, it was a positive question. There was a time when I would have left the event because of the anxiety I would be feeling.
And that got me thinking about the way my own mental health had been affected over the years by very vocal cultural shaming.
So in this post, I want to point out that LGBT+ people from all walks of life are impacted by shaming from the main stream because of their gender or sexuality.
Thankfully, today because of the support I have and the work I do to support my mental health, I can stay at these events, withstanding the stigma of being Transgender out loud.
I think it’s important to be visible and although I’m not always able or willing to take on every battle, I’m thankful that I can at last be myself and be more comfortable.
