Hi all,
Sorry, Sally, but I beg to differ!
(Just kidding!
)
I agree completely with you all. I especially agree with the "agree to disagree while keeping our dignity" part that Sally mentions (and, for me, this is where the distaste for the "art of flaming" comes; it's the kind of thing we see in schoolyards... and bullying never gets anyone anywhere).
This is what I like about this forum (and why it'll always be a kind of home for me): not only are we capable of each welcoming others into our lives as transgendered individuals (with widely different experiences as such) but we can do so despite the fact that there's a variety of political slants, socio-economic backgrounds, and spiritual stances. I find this very telling. Yes, there have been heated debates; yes, there have been arguments; yes, there has even been the occasional flaming (or, at the very least, sizzling and smoldering) but it seems that most of our members are able to never lose sight of "the bigger picture," which, I think, is the fact that, as persons whose gender identities are at odds with the usual expectations, we're "looking to be born" with beauty, dignity, grace, and power in a world that has no real love for difference despite its paying lip service to diversity.
When I write on this forum (to go with Danielle's flow), I usually do so as a form of therapy. It's as though I were keeping an online journal of my own struggles to become who I am and it just happens to be the case that others have access to it, and I see other people's posts in pretty much the same way; we are here to shed light on one another's paths and if someone else's light lets us see things more clearly in our darker moments (and vice versa), then, for me, this is reason enough for the existence and the continued success of this board. And, yes, as most of you know, I also like to play devil's advocate sometimes but I try as best I can to do so gently and with humour (I hope); I do so as a way of inviting input, of courting a variety of opinions, thoughts, ideas, and feelings on any given subject. Why do I do this? Well, for one thing, I like variety (I've always described myself as an "experience junkie" and that would certainly include the experience of others, of course) but, mostly, I court that variety because I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that this forum can handle diversity and not only survive but thrive.
It
is home.
Love,
CJ
