All That I Didn't Know Before

It's preposterous for me to look back on my life before coming to college and realizing how little I was shown of the world.

I grew up in a very small town and was surrounded by conservative Christians who were nice and all, but didn't really talk about subjects that deviated from the norm. But, why would they? I think I knew only one lesbian in high school and she doesn't even call herself that despite having a girlfriend. My parents never really forced any information onto me in a positive or negative manner. But nothing was ever brought up! Looking back, I'm not even sure I knew what transgender was.

I definitely didn't understand the suffering that some people live through who lack the privilege that I may have taken for granted. How could I, a cisgender, straight, and white female, know and understand what it is like to be a transgender, transsexual woman of color? As much as I try to empathize, I will never know what it is like to be in their shoes. But I want to. As different as we might identify, we are connected through our humanness and deserve the same as those at the top of the totem pole looking down at us.

I have come to realize that we are all connected and I am happy with this knowledge. Basic human rights are for all and I'm sorry it took me so long to learn about it.

-E