Interesting News Story Applies To All Of Us In A Way

[diaperpt]

I ran across this news article and video just now. While it also could be posted in Rainbow Diapers, I think what the psychologist in the video has to say applies to a great extent to all of us.

While there may be some of us who simply wear on a whim, I feel an emotional need to wear and so I felt what he had to say has a lot of truth for me and others like me - as well as to all true incontinents.

This young child will certainly find that not all the world can be as accepting and we will find ourselves accepted, but not for a long, long time. Meanwhile, I thought this might be encouragement for some of us who still feel out of place or feel guilty for wearing diapers.

I'd love to hear what others have to say about this.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/young-boy-wishes-join-girl-scouts-210130922.html

[Mischa]

Saw that linked through CNN, it's a pretty powerful statement to the people that don't accept transgenderism as a valid condition.

[diaperpt]

Sadly I think it's more of a comfort than statements that will convince those who are strongly anti.

I particularly liked the comments about it not mattering the clothes you wear - I thought immediately of diapers. While this had nothing to do with diapers, the parallel jumped out at me. Again, statements like these might be a comfort but less of a convincing argument to those whose minds are closed.

What does anyone else think about those words in relation to abdl as well as to transgender? Am I reaching too far?

[Bettypooh]

I'm a battle-hardened gender warrior, but every once in awhile I'll see something like this and be filled with emotion. That could have been me had I been given the chance but I wasn't. That saddens me deeply. I see how many people can't get it through their heads that one's anatomy does not make anyone anything- it is simply the body their spirit is in. I am elated that someone has the chance I didn't get- social progress is good. But overall, after the tears cleared my day went on, knowing that most people will automatically hate me even thought they know nothing of me the moment I express anything not male in gender or mention I like anything but the usual adult male clothing. It is not this kid's parents that need changing, nor does the kid need to change- it is the world which needs to change.

If you disagree with my attitude and say that anyone else (including society as a whole) should limit how anyone expresses themselves and limit their possibilities to who they can be or be with, I will agree and comply with your wishes once you give me that same power to force you to live as I want you to live too. There, that's all there is to it- it's pretty simple once you get past all the hype and distractions and focus on what's really going on here. No society is actually free if any one of them is not equally free.

Bettypooh

[Diapered Jason]

A good story. I am clapping my hands now. The kid definitely has guts.

[babykeiff]

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The intention of this document is to apply to ALL. Therefore the concept of equality applies to everyone, and not their choice of gender, clothes, religious beliefs or any other distinction denies them their rights. The problem is that some people think that 'equality' is a concept to be applied to themselves.

• Your freedom exists only while it does not interfere in the freedoms of another.

• Your choice to wear and use diapers is lawful only while you respect the people around you to not have to endure your foul stench.

• Your choice belief for spiritual guidelines exists only as long as it doesn't interfere in anyone else's freedoms. IE if you want to worship your plushie cause you believe he/she/it is some sort of saviour, that is perfectly ok as long as you do not belittle or disrespect someone else's belief cause they chose to worship a mystical / historical character, and/or that your worshipping does not interfere with another in their daily life.

• Your choice to act, dress and behave as a <man OR woman> exists only as it does not interfere with or deceive another persons search for a genetically <male OR female> companion.

In simple terms, if your choices and/or actions are causing or responsible for denying another their freedom of choice, it is YOU that is denying them their freedom.

Although the excerpt above is from the US Declaration of Independence, (if you didn't know) similar exist in most countries worldwide, and also between countries. Equality is NOT a conceptual idea... it should be practised every second of every minute of your life.

[eatenbywo1ves]

I don't understand why we (people in general) feel the need to ostracize others for simply being who they are, it's not like these peoples contribute less than anyone else.

[maly]

No society is actually free if any one of them is not equally free.

Bettypooh

I really liked the way you put that Bettypooh but especialy liked your closing line, i would love to put that on a tshirt if i may?

Mal.

[diaperpt]

I love all these comments!

We've hit on man vs woman and while its probably implied and understood, we ought to include gender neutral and all other points along the gender spectrum. I, for one, do not believe that there are only specific designations of gender but a whole range of gender and sexuality as well (as there are also not only specific designations in the abdl world).

I know there are others out there who believe this as well because I've seen posts arguing this same position.

And yes, it isn't the individual, but the world that needs to change. We should, however, celebrate each small inroad into acceptance. This news story points out a very important one!

[Aleia]

What I see here is a child innocently crossing adults' boundaries of gender. He's not a freak, nor is he a poster child for transgender rights--he's SEVEN. I don't have anything against transgendered people, but Bobby's mother, the media, and everyone involved here has taken his innocent, harmless request and exploited it to make a social statement, to paint anyone who is uncomfortable with transgenderism for any reason as a cruel bastard who will say "no" to a sweet little child. That disgusts me more than the non-news of people expecting others to conform to their own standards.

Why can't we all agree that the middle of the sexuality/gender identity debate is a nasty place for a child? A decent parent would have said "sorry, honey, it's okay that you want to be a Girl Scout, but it just doesn't work that way," and let it go. Even if he does grow to identify as female, he doesn't need to be a Girl Scout in order to do so. Either way, the reality is the Girl Scouts environment would probably do his self-image more harm than good. All this kid needs to do is grow up and figure out who he is without the "help" of the media, activist groups, or anyone else who has some perverse stake in whether he ultimately identifies as male or female.

[nitrous]

I believe parents and society in general will eventually accept being transgendered as a real form of self identity. I hope someday there will be a national troop of some sort that does not discriminate. I hope that girl grows up and starts that troop. If that was my kid I'd encourage them to be the change they want to see the world to be.

[diaperpt]

What I see here is a child innocently crossing adults' boundaries of gender. He's not a freak, nor is he a poster child for transgender rights--he's SEVEN. I don't have anything against transgendered people, but Bobby's mother, the media, and everyone involved here has taken his innocent, harmless request and exploited it to make a social statement, to paint anyone who is uncomfortable with transgenderism for any reason as a cruel bastard who will say "no" to a sweet little child. That disgusts me more than the non-news of people expecting others to conform to their own standards.

Why can't we all agree that the middle of the sexuality/gender identity debate is a nasty place for a child? A decent parent would have said "sorry, honey, it's okay that you want to be a Girl Scout, but it just doesn't work that way," and let it go. Even if he does grow to identify as female, he doesn't need to be a Girl Scout in order to do so. Either way, the reality is the Girl Scouts environment would probably do his self-image more harm than good. All this kid needs to do is grow up and figure out who he is without the "help" of the media, activist groups, or anyone else who has some perverse stake in whether he ultimately identifies as male or female.

I disagree on this. I don't think the mother is being exploitive and is trying to make a statement other than that her child should be allowed to explore who he is now at this admittedly innocent age. Why should she have to tell him he has to stuff all his feelings and emotions? Yeah, the world if unfair and cruel. Why is it wrong to take some of that unfairness and cruelty away?

And if your 4 or 5 year old son wanted to play with a doll would you step in and take it away saying, "sorry, honey, it's okay that you want to be a Girl Scout play with dolls, but it just doesn't work that way,"? At what point do we disallow our children to be who they are and force them to conform whether it is really them or not? At what point do we stand up for their right to be different when it harms no one else? Sure we've got an obligation to help them understand the mindless prejudice they will probably face, but we also have a responsibility to advocate (reasonably) for our children when they are simply expressing who they really feel they are.

When we do that, we may be saving them psychiatric fees later on - or even preventing suicide.

Others may be making 'statements' but I think the family is being responsible.

[Leilin]

Why can't we all agree that the middle of the sexuality/gender identity debate is a nasty place for a child?

It is the denial of rights to that child that places her in the middle of that debate, and necessitates that fight. The fight for those of us who are transgender begins literally, for early onset, at the moment that there are differences between girls and boys. To ACCEPT that discrimination is to lay yourself down and give up that fight and therefore give up who you are.

To put it succinctly, your "solution" is incredibly harmful, and, if more parents did not what these great parents are doing but what you suggest, transgender rights to-date would be even more nonexistent than they are.

[BabyJune]

Society has caused the problem by setting up gender stereotypes and insisting that men/women or boys/girls must behave a certain way and be interested in certain things. That's where the problem lies. The Girl Scouts do not discriminate, and I have high regards for them for being so accepting. I'm going out on a limb here by admitting this because I prefer to stay "incogneto" for just this reason, but I've been a Girl Scout leader for most of my adult life and not once has our council discriminated against me because I'm a man or because I'm single. And it is due to societal gender stereotypes that I prefer to work with girls as opposed to boys. There is less aggression and competition among girls, and I find it easier to mentor girls than boys.

[Horndog]

I was raised in an environment where gender roles were an understood element of society, but not something that was aggressively enforced.

Society is based on a set of conditions that subjectively give us the most comfort. Society is based on rules and guidelines that are rooted in the history of western civilization (tradition). While tradition is something to be valued at times, our traditions have evolved over time -- and it's not spiraling down into a world of immoral chaos, as the right-wing pundits would put it. It's not hurting anyone. I think it's great for our society to expand our tolerance. It may be hard at first, but once you open the doors of acceptance, life becomes easier to manage.