Being Different
I just want to fast forward to a time where fear doesn't divide us.
Your muslim neighbor doesn't want to hurt you. He just wants to stand in line at the post office, forget the thing at the grocery store he originally went there for, and binge watch shows on Netflix - just like you.
Your transgender coworker doesn't want to hurt you. She just wants to complain how disgusting public restrooms are, swear that she's giving up soda (even though she knows she has Dr. Pepper in the fridge), and forget which pile of clothes is the clean pile and which is the dirty pile - just like you.
Your gay brother-in-law doesn't want to hurt you. He just wants to complain about how expensive the drinks are at that overhyped restaurant, tell himself he'll do the dishes at 8 o'clock even though he knows they are going to sit there until tomorrow morning, and waste hours on Facebook looking at people's vacations and bratty kids - just like you.
I could go on and on. I could tell you about your black classmates and that interracial couple that stayed together through high school and got married. But I shouldn't have to.
I shouldn't have to point out that though they might be different from you, they are still people.
Just because someone is different from you - they may look different - believe different things - sound different - that doesn't mean you should fear them. It doesn't mean that you are any better of a person than they are or they are any better of a person than you are. It means they're different. Different shouldn't divide us.
"It's really important to share the idea that being different might feel like a problem at the time, but ultimately diversity is a strength." - Carson Kressley.
Your muslim neighbor doesn't want to hurt you. He just wants to stand in line at the post office, forget the thing at the grocery store he originally went there for, and binge watch shows on Netflix - just like you.
Your transgender coworker doesn't want to hurt you. She just wants to complain how disgusting public restrooms are, swear that she's giving up soda (even though she knows she has Dr. Pepper in the fridge), and forget which pile of clothes is the clean pile and which is the dirty pile - just like you.
Your gay brother-in-law doesn't want to hurt you. He just wants to complain about how expensive the drinks are at that overhyped restaurant, tell himself he'll do the dishes at 8 o'clock even though he knows they are going to sit there until tomorrow morning, and waste hours on Facebook looking at people's vacations and bratty kids - just like you.
I could go on and on. I could tell you about your black classmates and that interracial couple that stayed together through high school and got married. But I shouldn't have to.
I shouldn't have to point out that though they might be different from you, they are still people.
Just because someone is different from you - they may look different - believe different things - sound different - that doesn't mean you should fear them. It doesn't mean that you are any better of a person than they are or they are any better of a person than you are. It means they're different. Different shouldn't divide us.
"It's really important to share the idea that being different might feel like a problem at the time, but ultimately diversity is a strength." - Carson Kressley.
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