Friday, April 29, 2016

Whisper Out Loud: Transgenders in the society

Whisper Out Loud: Transgenders in the society:                                   In 2016 we are now facing something new in my generation of the 70

Transgenders in the society

                       
         
In 2016 we are now facing something new in my generation of the 70's, 80's and early 90's. Like our parents and grandparents who were born in the 40's, 50's and 60's, we have to comprehend this new identity. Our grandparents and parents had to come to terms about people being gay. It was like an epidemic to them. They found it hard to understand and accept. It was new. And we all know that anything new is frightening. At that time, we were teenagers and in our early twenties. (I'm speaking of the late 80's, 90's and early 2000's.) We understood what was going on and accepted our friends and family who decided to come out the closet. Well today we find ourselves in the same situation as our grandparents and parents. Today we are facing the transgender community. Transgenders are people who feel like they were born in the wrong body. Men feel like they were supposed to be born female and women who feel like they are supposed to be born male. We understood the transsexual fetish but then we became confused like our grandparents and parents when transgendered began to surround the United States. Many people try to understand the transgender community and some runway from them, tormenting them by any means necessary.

Lately the country has been faced with the decision of having transgenders use the bathrooms that they identify with. Target, a major retailer, was the first to change its policy about transgender using their bathrooms. It was a big protest from many people who didn't agrees to this new change. On one hand, you have transgenders who want to use the bathroom that they identify with. On the other hand, you have those who are against it fear that it will open doors to predators. For instance, you can have a man who isn't transgender, decide to dress as a female, with the wig, contour makeup, fake boobs and everything, go into a female bathroom and get his rocks off by any means necessary. By any means necessary can mean setting up a small camera, a peek hole, or physical assault. Or what about real transgenders who is still attracted by the opposite sex, like the now  Katilyn Jenner formerly known as Bruce Jenner. She admits that she is attracted to women and will continue to date women. But she uses the women's bathroom. How does that work? It's one thing to have a lesbian use the bathroom but a transgender male who is still attracted to females, is another thing. It goes for the same thing for a transgender woman who use the male bathrooms but is still attracted to men. 

Pascack Valley Regional High School in New Jersey had adopted a policy to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity. They adopted this policy because it had to agree with the anti-discrimination laws. As you know many parents and students was against this new policy. Like I stated the concerns about transgenders using public bathrooms, the concerns of the parents are the same. They say that the new policy will compromise their kids privacy. The school board did say that any non-transgender student who isn't comfortable with the new policy is given an option to change in a more private location. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/04/11/pascack-valley-transgender-policy/

It's hard to understand and accept for some. But for the transgender community they see it as segregation and still not able to truly identify who they really are. They are looking for the same rights just like everybody else. Transgenders aren't scary, abnormal people. They are just people. Human beings like the rest of us on this planet called Earth. I have to admit that it's still hard for me to understand some things about the transgender community and find it confusing but I will respect them just like I would want them to respect me. It will take time for my generation to comprehend all of this. I can hear my Christian family and friends and, "But the Bible says not to conform to this world because we are not of this world." This is true. To conform means to change. The Bible tells us not to change ourselves to become like the world. But the Bible, Jesus, told us to love one another. I can love you and not understand and accept your views or transformation. Remember we are to love one another as we love ourselves. 

That means love the gays, transgenders, the presidential candidates LOL. We may not like and agree with what they do or say but not everything that we do and say people agree with either.

Accepting the transgender community is something that is new to this country. Some people feel as if it is being shoved down their throats and faves. Their is a lot of gray areas that need to be filled in with the new upcoming laws concerning the transgenders using the bathrooms. This is just the beginning of change. And change can sometimes strengthen or weaken you. How will this change affect you?

Friday, April 15, 2016

Whisper Out Loud: Keeping Calm, Fighting on while Helping Others

Whisper Out Loud: Keeping Calm, Fighting on while Helping Others: I have been MIA for weeks now from all social networks, some family and others. My world had stopped spinning. As others went abo...

Keeping Calm, Fighting on while Helping Others





I have been MIA for weeks now from all social networks, some family and others. My world had stopped spinning. As others went about their weeks, my weeks felt like months. You can never honestly sympathize with people until you are in a similar position. On March 31st, I heard words come out of my mother’s mouth that I thought I would never hear. She revealed to me that her doctor told her that she has breast cancer. I stood there waiting for the punch line that never came. I thought maybe this is an early tasteless April Fools joke. But it wasn't. It was real life and at that moment me, my son, my brother and my mom world stopped. We had to come to terms about what was happening. We had family and friends who bonded together to pray and helped increase our faith. And there were some who made it seem like it was a death sentence. We quickly shut them down, ignore their calls and continue the fight.

My mother is one of the few women who stay on top of their health and is lucky. When my mother turned 40, she got her first mammogram. And every year from then, she went to the doctor’s annually, at the same time to get a full check-up. This is the reason the breast cancer was caught very early. Not only does she get her annual mammogram, but she also goes to her GYN, her primary Doctor, and does routine CAT scans. Our bodies break down everyday as we go about living our scheduled routine lives. We only stop to go to the doctor when the over the counter medication doesn't work. But as hard as it may be, we have to schedule our annual pit stop to the doctor to make sure everything is in working order. Thankfully, my mother has the best, top of the line, health insurance and was directed to highly recommended doctors in Jersey. My mother is already in good hands with God, but God also placed her in their hands because He knew the doctors that speak and think the same kind of faith we have.

We are blessed because of this, especially since we live in the NY/NJ area where the medical teams are more advanced. But many people aren't as fortunate. Many people can't afford to have health insurance and have the best doctors that they hear their family and friends talk about. It's hard for single parents to afford to take care of themselves, because of all their time and money goes to their child or children. I know my mom is in great hands but I can't help but to think of those who are less fortunate. It's so easy to tell someone to go to the doctor and get checked but to be in their position is a different story. Yes, they can get help from the state and get help at their local healthcare offices, but they are still limited. Those without the proper medical insurance can't get the proper medical care. And because of this, they don't go.

But we have to take care of ourselves so we can live a long time to see our grandchildren, great grandchildren and possibly or great, great grandchildren. It may seem hard but it's worth our lives. A simple routine can save our lives. The numerous of new diseases and illnesses that are affecting more now than 10, 20, 30 years ago. Many of these ailments are curable and can be managed but it lies in our hands.

Part of it rely on us taking better care of our bodies besides going to the doctor for annual check-ups. It relies on us to eat healthy and stay active, by exercising. Let's be honest, eating healthy is expensive. But there are ways we can eat healthy on a budget that is suitable for people on low income salary. I'm talking about those who make less than $30,000 a year.

So, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to help those who can't afford to eat healthy stay on track and buy food that can fit their budget. I have a 13 year old son, who plays football, and who's appetite is increasing along with his height of 5’8. So, budgeting is what I am all about. Every Sunday, beginning April 24th, I’ll put up a shopping list, the total I spent, meal plans and an exercising plan that we can fit into our busy hectic schedules. And don't worry, I won't include those 5, 6 or 7 am workouts, unless that fits into YOUR schedule.

We can do this. We can survive and catch our issues early, like my mother and thousands of others. And be SURVIVORS just like them.