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Coulrophiliac444 t1_j2bghfv wrote

They'd actually be a party that didn't stand on children's suicide corpses.

Edit before my eventual oblivion downvote:

  1. Yes, its in poor taste. I was born and raised in Florida. This appalls me to no end that the GQP thinks biological anatomy is all there is to gender. I believe gender discussion should literally be an open forum, yet they scream with Maga-phones and pearl clutches and wonder why they're increasingly hated.

  2. Forcing children into an identity not their own, like cookie cutter children, statistically increases depression and suicides of those people if not homicide and assaults. As the very antagonistic, and homophobic, saying goes, "They'll fuck the (insert identity issue) out of you." I saw that happen to too many peers growing up. Some had friends who had couches. Some had nowhere and ended up having to either hide it or be homeless.

  3. This continued assault of forced religious beliefs being hamfisted shoved down the throats of many is quite opposite of the freedom of religion. We had one kid, who was my best friend in high school, who was an outspoken Satanist. We had actual DISCUSSIONS at my school because it was safe for us to do so. Florida has stripped that safe zone away. I wouldn't move back if they PAID ME to live there.

  4. I won't even go to Disney over these draconian laws. I wish more people would do the same and point to the Government as the reason why. I wouldn't risk my kids health, or safety, under that purview. I keep hoping it will change, that my classmates and peers will change it... but I think more of them are leaving, or falling to drugs. or disenfranchisement via state voting games, and I worry it will spread.

ETA: Thank you all for reaching out. I may be in a dark place, and feeling darker some days more than others...but I haven't given in. It just hit me at a bad time with one kids birthday and the holidays all rolling up. With the physical pain and mental suffering, it makes for a potent combination. The words help, but remember to keep not only fighting your own battles, but learn the art of debate and reasoning and fighting for yourself and your own futures as well. All that evil requires to win is for the good (wo)men to do nothing. Battles are not just won in the fields, but in the hearts and minds of the populace as well and we need to fight against the inherent greed that seems to be endemic to being human. Be better, and be ready to fight in any capacity to pave a stronger tomorrow.

And never be ashamed for helping someone, even if you overextend yourself to do so. Compassion, and empathy, are the first of mighty weapons because people remember when you helped them when everyone else turned their backs.

Thank you again. When I couldnt talk to the ones I knew, the strangers of Reddit became by audience. You listened when I needed it, and I'll try to return that and pay it forward when I see it. May your gods, goddesses, or fortunes favor you this coming year.

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molotov_cockteaze t1_j2bicql wrote

Genuinely hope you don’t get downvoted. What you’re saying is empirically correct and anyone who wants to “save the children” outside of using them as a prop for bigotry should be in ready agreement.

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Coulrophiliac444 t1_j2bk00u wrote

Its why I added my 4 points of clarity. I'm 36, my view poibt is about 20 years old but frankly its still valid. I had a safe school where we COULD discuss things like bisexuality, homosexuality, gender identity and religion and NOT have a closed one mind worldview.

At one point I discussed the duality of life and dewth, of being a weapon and defender, of happiness mirroring depression, that all are as capable of great love and great hate in equal depths and all it took was the mirror we call our Soul to reflect that. I wasn't laughed at. I shocked my class speechless because it mirrored my depression. My view skewed by it and body shame I felt for years. Rage at being bullied and having to fight for myself because the school was rendered impotent to protect me. Finally, they saw suffering. And they cared. I didnt have to hide when in high school, because we just wanted to be ourselves, maybe find some illegal booze, and drink in the woods and occasionally bang while fibbing at being with someone else. We had fun and learned to grow up on our terms.

Hell, my valedictorian got a full ride to Harvard. I played soccer with him. Genuinely one of the most driven kids I knew. Another guy two years my senior in my language class (Japanese) got a full athletic to Michigan as a linebacker. Another dude I got into shit with my freshman year with was my friend by sophmore year and cried because he worked his ass off and finally found out he graduated, being just shy of failing. We celebrated our victories...we mourned our losses...and that feeling was we all gave a fuck about everyones viewpoint. Those views are being threatened. Those voices slowly silenced.

I think of Johnathan Young and Caleb Hyle's song 'Land of Broken Dreams' thinking of it from then and now. Slowly, we are being made sick, dumb, full of fright. I'm tired of being scared for the future. I'm angry enough to want to wrest it back. By political means if able, by force if necessary. My kids deserve better than this.

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molotov_cockteaze t1_j2bl6qi wrote

During my high school years in the early 2000’s I was in the gay/straight alliance, and even in supposedly progressive SF Bay Area that was considered radical. Despite the fact that when we were all in Jr. High Matthew Shepherd had been a big deal. I remember thinking back then that once I was getting older these things would be commonplace and no one would care, because clearly society would progress, right?

Child me didn’t account for the violent regressive response we’re now dealing with.

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PuellaBona t1_j2efvlf wrote

It's like, the more open minded conservative's children became, the more they have tried to squash social progress. They don't like being told they're oppressive bigots in their own home.

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wave-garden t1_j2ecyrz wrote

This is a very helpful perspective imo. Thank you for taking the time to write it out for us.

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