Christine Tsen, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Blogs by Christine Tsen
Embroidery 5/2/2015 2:34:25 PM
Here goes.
Embroidery
The other day I posted a poem, a sort of a love letter, to all who feel judged because of their gender expression or transition thereof; to those who have been judged based on their sexual orientation; to those who feel hatred and ignorance coming at them; and to those who suffer in silence. It is to these most of all … because they must hide who they are. I posted a love letter … to let them know that they are not alone. That is what I wanted to do.
The responses came in a chorus of resonance peppered with the occasional dissonance. The latter were the inevitable conservatives, sounding somewhat bewildered, skeptical, even disgusted. But most were the harmonic echoes, offering chords of assent and support. So many of them. Resonating chords of love.
However, despite their small number, what was a bit upsetting were the notes of disapproval. I mean, really? Seriously? Those sentiments, I cannot even comprehend. And I see that there are people who actually hold these exclusionary views. I mean, actual people. And they weren’t kidding. Not one note of irony in the lot. How can a person’s very being, their very essence be a cause for judgment by the rest of us? Gender expression in its various forms touches our very essence as human beings. We’re all conceived from Divine will, and none of us (certainly not me) has total clarity with the Divine.
These souls with non-mainstream gender expression deserve our love, not our condemnation. And as long as the specter of ostracism looms over them, they need and deserve our support. Judgment against these enormously gentle people is a judgment against me, against everyone. When confronted by small-mindedness, I fervently believe our task is to be part of the Light – to protect others, to stand up to others whose ideas are negative. I also believe that at our very core, we are vessels through which the Divine Spirit is working to accomplish tasks for our growth, enlightenment, and epiphany. This is one of the things I want to do with my life. I believe this is a God-given task of the human spirit.
One area that I’ve become very passionate about is transgender rights and protection. My own experience with a loved one has precipitated this, and I have come to understand so much about this population and what they go through. There is so much unnecessary pain involved. Body dysphoria is no fun. Each of us has inner knowings about ourselves and our body, and must find our way to being true to who we need to be.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ~ Maya Angelou
