Accepting difference
Oh Mom, why do you have to be so different?
I heard this statement from my older son about 20 years ago one day when he came home from school. The bells didn't ring in my head then - and still I don't quite understand what he meant.
I am aware that I've always felt that somehow I differ from others. I had nothing to do, or still doesn't, with the sexual orientation but I can well imagine what it feels like being different than other passers-by. It feels like a political prisoner except that it has nothing to do with my opinions. I talk about you as a person, human being that you are.
It would be easy if it were about something I have done. I could somehow make up for it, if I wanted to, or by going through my motives and emotions, maybe to understand it. I may even be forgiven the fact that I have caused others some harm or resentment.
When it's about you, your essence and personality, it is about your life. One feels that one was born 'wrong kind of person'?
Are you too abnormal?
There's Pride week going on now. Pride -viikkoWe see a lot of issues and events dealing with difference, mostly probably about sexual orientation anyway.
The theme is important and we can all think over our own perceptions, feelings and thoughts about different people, especially sexually different from ourselves.
I suggest you follow the events with an open mind and interest!
The majority of Finnish people think they are very accepting and have a positive attitude towards most people. Is it really so?
According to this article mukaan työelämässä syrjintää tapahtuu vielä. Suurin osa syrjintätapauksista ei tule viranomaisten tietoon, koska niitä ei raportoida. Sama kiusaamisilmiö on koulumaailmasta tuttua varmaan monelle.Sielläkin usein kiusattu henkilö päätyy vaihtamaan koulua sen sijaan, että asiaan puututtaisiin tai kiusaaja vaihtaisi koulua. Sama seuraus on Haaste -lehden artikkelin mukaan monella häirintää kokenut parhaimmaksi tavaksi: "Dodging places where the risk of being bullied is big"
Being a prisoner of conscience
When the Covid restrictions started year ago, they divided people around the world into two worlds. Different opinions, beliefs and perceptions came forward. Whether your own perception is - regarding any issue related to it - whatever, there was always a lot that didn't accept you because of it. You were put into a cast that was 'all too well known' of and everyone seemed to have an opinion about your personal attitude toward Covid. The issue and the cast system Dividing still continues, and is getting worse I think, it is led to changing laws in many countries. The governments seem to support this apartheid that is based on somebody's idea of the 'right action plan', and is not even based on acknowledged science.
We are dealing with opinions and beliefs. Not the human beings.
Where are the limits of your acceptance?
I bumped into an interesting video in YouTube the other day. It was about a Japanese Akihiro Nakamura, his story and his wedding. He had married the love of his life, a hologram called Hatsune Miku.
Would you be willing to accept all sexual orientations, including the above-mentioned fictosexuality??
There are a lot of videos about Japan where it is really possible to marry anybody or anything. The loneliness is huge in a country where computers have replaced relationships of everyday life.
Maybe by the time it will be easier to accept different people?
It's clear that the more we spend time with difference: different looking, different shape and size, foreigners, differently sexually oriented people and other minorities, the easier it will for us, we get used to it. The parents have a opportunity, with their own attitude, to impact their offspring and how they will in turn perceive other people. The power of example is huge!
The Finns may still remember the Vietnamese refugees and the hullabaloo this created at the end of 1970's? Suddenly arrived by boat loads of small people, who didn't understand a word of Finnish from the other side of the world. They are remembered of being hard working, who had the desire to adapt to our customs and learn the language so according to our standards, they earned their place in the society.
The Russians seem to differ about this?
Interestingly so, meantime we point our finger to others by not being accepting and intolerant, and argue about the amount the need and amount of refugees to take into Finland, the Russians disagree with us.
They seem to think according to this article that the Finns are too gullible about our attitude towards the refugees.
Be the change you want to see in the world!
When a feature or manner of speech in another person annoys you, it is according to my experience, a clue that it's because the same issue is hard to accept in oneself.
Many people who don't accept for example someone's turnout, cannot see themselves in different outfits. Maybe there has been issues/experiences related to it, maybe not. These are things one can change, regardless of age, if one desires to do so.
If you feel stressed regarding to difference, book a time, and we can deal with it. After the session it will be easier for you to accept your own and others differences.
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