Bravery

I'm troubled by one or two posts I see in my social media newsfeed today.

Bravery:

• : the quality that allows someone to do things that are dangerous or frightening :the quality or state of being brave
• (Definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

If you don't believe Caitlyn Jenner deserved to get that award at the ESPYs, that's fine. Because it's a matter of opinion as to who's more "brave" than another. Awards and awards shows are all just opinion anyway. In my opinion, they tend to be popularity contests. I'm not gonna sit here and tout Caitlyn as some sort of hero, but by the above definition, she IS being brave. The experience of living how you were meant to, versus what people see and choose for you... And living with the fear of being rejected, targeted, hurt... Brave. At the heart of it all, she's a woman trying to live her life. And from what I can tell, she's not hurting anyone by doing so.

But if some of you really believe that sexuality and gender is a choice, I invite you to think about it for a minute. Just take a few moments and really toss a few things around in your mind. The first time you had any inkling about sexuality, was it a choice? The feelings, I mean. The only choice that's made is whether to hide your feelings, if society tells you you're wrong. And then there's gender. I'm a woman by society's standards, and I've always felt female -- whatever that means. I am who I am. I can't even imagine what it must feel like to have been born one way and know that what that looks like to others isn't who I actually am.

Those of you who believe your way of being is the "right" way; what if you were told by the "majority" -- or more importantly, by those in power -- that you were wrong?

I always cringe like hell when I hear someone say these things are a choice. Like anyone would ever willingly pick the "unpopular" or "minority." Especially at great cost. For many trans people, they pay with their lives.

I often wish that people would just think things through. Get outside of what is *their* truth and outside of what religion is telling them and really THINK. We were given brains and the ability to process thought, after all. And we are all human when it comes down to the basics.