Long Division

I have an issue with the NC bathroom law.

But then again, I think a lot of people do, especially people who are affected by the law.

My point is, I don't like the law. I've grown up around people in LGBT communities, and I can tell you right now, that they aren't going to "prey" on you in the bathroom. They literally need to pee. That's it. They wanna pee.

And you know what? Maybe they've gotta take a dump, too. Maybe they're the kinda people who are gutsy enough to poop in a public bathroom. Good for them, because I will never be that brave.

In fact, if you ever get the chance to meet a transgendered person, or someone who is nonbinary or genderfluid, then congratulations, because you've just met the bravest and most courageous person you will ever meet. These people have to go up to the people they love, and tell them: "Hey, I'm not the way I was planned out to be. But I'm still the same person you've alway loved and cared for, and I need you to keep doing that."

And half the time, they don't keep doing that.

I say this because there is someone in my life who, while I do want to murder him 150% of the time, is transgender. I've spent my whole life trying to protect him from people who have wanted to hurt him. He's been thrown into sinks and told to "man up" his whole life. Not just by peers, but by teachers, and adults whom he trusted.

Every night, when I go on Facebook, I'll see friends write awful, rude things about how "they need to use the 'correct stalls' or else I'll be uncomfortable." I have to write something. Not to be rude or disrespect their opinion. But because I need them to know that they will hurt someone, because I grew up with someone who just kept getting hurt. Maybe not intentionally, but these ideas and thoughts that trans kids are such "abominations" are going to hurt people. And it might end up being someone close to them.

News flash, kiddos: They've always been there. And they've never hurt you. And you've never noticed them before, because that girl checking her lipstick? She's a girl, just like you. And that guy washing his hands? He's a man, just like you.

More importantly, they're people, just like you.

We're all just a bunch of people. Humans, the most perfectly flawed species that we will never find anything else comparable to. And we need each other.

And when we need someone to be there for us, they're not going to be there anymore, because we're all so divided by race and gender and height and weight and age, and hell, even our political parties.

No one divided us but ourselves.