This is so helpful. I get triggered and angry with the stupid and small -minded. For the life of me, I don't understand those who are so adamant about hating people they don't even know. I've been an ally since I knew what the word meant. We're all human. Some of my best friends don't fit into society (and neither do I ).
Oh, my, dear Ben!! You are our hero!! I put together the newsletter for PFLAG Fort Worth, and we're some of your biggest fans. We love, love, love what you have written here! Especially about Allies. How do we get your permission to quote a lot of what you have written in our next newsletter? You are so brave and wonderful and full of love and joy! Yay, Ben!!
Sincerely, Carrie and Ken Hinze, PFLAG Fort Worth newsletter committee
Thank you for this. I was very angry and upset yesterday about the election and level of hatred and ignorance towards trans people and this helped me feel better, more hopeful, and more grounded.
I often find myself feeling frustrated and resentful about the amount of emotional labor that's put on my plate to get other people to see me as a human being. I agree with everything you said, AND it's unjust that we're the ones who have to do the labor, AND I think it might be the only way right now. All true at the same time. Thanks for putting this down on (digital) paper. It helps.
This was great! I really enjoyed reading what you wrote... One of the things that really help me is listening to understand. If we really take the chance to understand and learn other people's worldviews, they see that, and we will more easily be able to show them ours, with respect to them because they feel seen and heard
I still haven't found the sweet spot between listening and learning and sharing what I believe and my feelings, but I'm a lot closer now than I've ever been, because I started with listening to understand while communicating with myself
This is so helpful. I get triggered and angry with the stupid and small -minded. For the life of me, I don't understand those who are so adamant about hating people they don't even know. I've been an ally since I knew what the word meant. We're all human. Some of my best friends don't fit into society (and neither do I ).
I look so forward to seeing this in my inbox! It is always so good and leaves me feeling hopeful!
What a brilliant analogy, thank you Ben!!
And I love that the gathering is a party. Dismantling heteropatriarchy leads to joy and freedom for all kinds of people.
Oh, my, dear Ben!! You are our hero!! I put together the newsletter for PFLAG Fort Worth, and we're some of your biggest fans. We love, love, love what you have written here! Especially about Allies. How do we get your permission to quote a lot of what you have written in our next newsletter? You are so brave and wonderful and full of love and joy! Yay, Ben!!
Sincerely, Carrie and Ken Hinze, PFLAG Fort Worth newsletter committee
Thank you for this. I was very angry and upset yesterday about the election and level of hatred and ignorance towards trans people and this helped me feel better, more hopeful, and more grounded.
I often find myself feeling frustrated and resentful about the amount of emotional labor that's put on my plate to get other people to see me as a human being. I agree with everything you said, AND it's unjust that we're the ones who have to do the labor, AND I think it might be the only way right now. All true at the same time. Thanks for putting this down on (digital) paper. It helps.
This was great! I really enjoyed reading what you wrote... One of the things that really help me is listening to understand. If we really take the chance to understand and learn other people's worldviews, they see that, and we will more easily be able to show them ours, with respect to them because they feel seen and heard
I still haven't found the sweet spot between listening and learning and sharing what I believe and my feelings, but I'm a lot closer now than I've ever been, because I started with listening to understand while communicating with myself