I was brought up in an openly-prejuidiced atmosphere. The things I was taught to think about people who were identified as "the other"-- folks who didn't look, act, or live as we did-- were not nice things. Nor were they rational. I had a lot to work through when I got older.
As I got older, I became part of "the other." I was no longer virginal, living as a heterosexual, or practicing any mainstream religion. I became a drunk, stoned out, burned out; and then got clean. I got fat and fatter. Then came a tbi and subsequent disability. I was not to be one of the pretty happy people.
After learning to celebrate the diversity in other human beings, I had to learn how to embrace myself as I changed and was changed through the course of living. I learned that I was bigger than my problems and far more than any label. I learned the difference between finding my tribe and division.
Division keeps us separate and tolerance keeps us placated. Screw that. May we all learn how to embrace each other and ourselves in our quest to become more who we are.
~sapphoq
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