As those who know me have invariably heard, one of my
favorite sayings is, "There are more differences within groups than there
are between groups." This can also be flipped to, “There are more
similarities between groups than there are within groups.” This post is about
one of the many similarities I share with most of my friends and family
members: the value of protecting the safety of all children.
The people I know, respect, and even love vary widely on a
broad political spectrum. Please humor me for a moment and remove our political agendas
and move directly to our base feelings about protecting all children. Let’s see
those mommy and daddy bears that come
out when we find someone has harmed our children. Stay with me my friends... I’m going to talk about sexual orientation.
For most people, sexual orientation is not a choice. Some
would argue it’s not a choice for anyone, but I’m going to stick with a source
I trust: the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA’s description of what causes a person to have a particular sexual orientation is as follows:
“There is no consensus among scientists
about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual,
gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible
genetic, hormonal, developmental, social and cultural influences on sexual
orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that
sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many
think that nature and nurture both play complex roles; most people experience
little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation.”
Are you still with me? Here’s an exercise to test our
empathy skills.
Imagine yourself in a romantic embrace with someone of the
opposite gender you are not attracted to. Want to stretch yourself? Imagine a similar situation with someone of your same gender. Uncomfortable and confusing, huh? Now,
imagine you are a child trying to understand these feelings.
This is how the ACA explains how people know they are
lesbian, gay, or bisexual:
“According to current scientific
and professional understanding, the core attractions that form the basis for
adult sexual orientation typically emerge between middle childhood and early
adolescence. These patterns of emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction may
arise without any prior sexual experience. People can be celibate and still
know their sexual orientation--be it lesbian, gay, bisexual or heterosexual.”
Another similarity many of us share is that we are followers
of Jesus. I’m being completely genuine and honest when I share that it’s been a
struggle for me understanding how the lessons of love and tolerance I learned
from the teachings of Jesus have been twisted politically to spread
intolerance. It’s even harder for me to comprehend that there are still human
beings out there who would rather harm children by exposing them to bullying
and even worse, bogus conversion therapies, than support a child's sexual
orientation.
Here’s why am I bringing this up now. I advocate for all of
our children being protected with strong bullying prevention legislation
guaranteeing them learning in a safe and supportive environment. Too many children face harassment and even violence, leading to serious mental health issues and sometimes suicide-related behavior.
Right now,
there is a bill in the Minnesota Senate (SF221) to exempt a large number of
school districts from implementing the Safe & Supportive Minnesota Schools
law (passed last April). There’s an identical bill in the Minnesota House
(HF102).
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| Safe & Supportive Minnesota Schools law being signed by Governor Dayton. Photo by Glen Stubbe |
To protect the safety of all children, please contact your
local representative and senator and let them know you do NOT want our Safe
& Supportive Schools (anti-bullying) law watered down. Thank you for
sticking with me… your pestering, progressive friend.
Peace to you and yours - Jackie
