Our Kids

   The last two Wednesdays, I wrote about my thoughts on two of the social issues in our news – gun control and abortion. Today, I’m going to try to discuss another such topic.

I really want to understand this. I’ve been reading some articles and even listened to a couple of specialists give a talk on it. I think I’m making headway in my understanding, but then I say, "no, I'm not accepting this."

I can only think of one couple that I know of, who, when they were pregnant, did not want to know the sex of the baby. EVERY other couple who is expecting a baby wants to know if they are going to have a boy or a girl. And then they host a reveal party, so everyone else knows.

I never wanted to know the sex of my babies, and if those grown babies of mine were ever to get pregnant, I’ve told them that I don’t want to know then either. I’m just weird that way. I picture being in the birthing room, when the somewhat alien-looking child finally emerges and the doctor announces, “It’s a  - - - “

And though all these couples now disagree with me and want to know, what happens down the road, when this child doesn’t agree with the “sex they were assigned at birth”.

The media is making this such a big deal. Yet one article I read said that 3% of children feel they are transgender or agender or bi-gender or somewhere on the spectrum of something. There are so many terms, terms that didn’t exist ten years ago.

I’m totally fine with a person being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, etc. Except that I don’t think it’s anybody’s business. I don’t think you should be embarrassed by your sexual orientation or afraid of being ostracized because of it, but why should it matter? If you care for someone and they care for you, I think the world should be happy that you found someone.

But here’s what not everyone realizes - sexual orientation is not the same thing as sexual identity. And that’s where I lose my focus.

I grew up as a tomboy, playing with as many boys’ toys as girls’ toys. I had dolls, but they were usually tomboys too. And I think I raised my kids to play with any toys they could have fun with. I didn’t know which sex they were ahead of time, so there was no painting their rooms pink or blue, or buying all pink clothes or all blue clothes. Plus, I couldn’t afford that, so I had to start out neutral, not knowing if the second kid would be the same sex as the first.

But why, why, oh, why, would anyone think it’s okay to start messing with kids’ hormones because they think they are a different sex than when they were born? And if they really, in their hearts and minds, think they are a different sex, don’t be mean to them and blow them off, but there has to be a way to nurture them without giving them drugs or considering surgery.

If, once they are an adult and have the means to finance these things, then they should go ahead and do it. But little kids? Being taught in our public schools that it's okay to explore their feelings on their sexuality? When they just want to play with toys that make them happy or dress in what they are comfortable wearing? No wonder our kids are losing their minds; we adults are causing it. Well, and the media too.

Let kids be kids. Don’t tell them who they are or who they aren’t. And don’t make up these crazy names they can’t understand or tell them they are on some spectrum. And don’t change the English language by referring to a girl or a boy as a they, because that’s what he or she saw on the internet. Teach them respect. Teach everyone to respect everyone else.  

I just think our children have enough to deal with without being in the center of the news. But as admitted at the beginning, I don’t get it. All I know is that our society keeps getting more and more messed up. 

I never worried about the sexual identity of my kids. I really just wondered if they'd become psychopaths.