There are many ways of showing that we are all just people. No matter is you are black or white; as the words of a pop song goes. The same goes for GLBTI identified people. Many get discriminated upon because of their sexual orientation, and gender presentation or just because they are different from other people. But WE ARE JUST PEOPLE just like you or anyone else, we do the same things and have families and live in homes. Many of these people tend to become activists and try and educate those that do not understand them or know anything about GLBTI issues. There are other ways to also do this and that is by doing the same things that everyone else do. Attend church, take part in sports, go hunting (if that is your thing), fish. Ride motorbikes, sports cars, and take part in any everyday type of activities that everyone does in life.
I have learned from experience in going out in public and just being relaxed with myself and enjoy whatever I do breaks down barriers and shows that I am a normal person and not something that is strange or weird. I was attending a very public activity this past weekend that placed me in the public eye. What happened I was read, (read is being seen by someone for being not what you seem to be, or seen as a transsexual by someone). Part of the problem is that I love my wife and show affection for her and that my son stills likes to call me Dad and that because of the load music I had to talk rather loud to be heard and when that happens my voice does fail the test…as it becomes deeper. My son was asked the question and he told them the truth; She is my father, and was a man but is now a woman. The answer to that from the enquirer was just a plain Ok.
Changes in one’s life come slowly for some things but other changes happen fast, so fast that it even catches oneself out. Old friends that still stay friends adjust in many ways over time while others fade away as they cannot adjust to the changes one undergoes. The same for business people some just carry on as always while others can not adjust at all and you pick this up from them. Does it matter? In some ways it does but mostly it does not.
Activism is a good thing but it not for all, some like to stay hidden in plain sight while others do not mind being seen for what they are. I still enjoy lots of the old things that I used to do, well … still do. Mostly I am just another woman that goes about their life and work.
If your form of activism is waving a banner and standing on a soap box or just doing every day things then that is your choice. Even any transgendered person who is in stealth is doing activism by just being themselves. One does not need to be the banner waver but just the person next to someone on the airplane, buss, checkout queue at the supermarket, the person collecting their post or walking the dog. We are all activists by just being ourselves.
Hugs
