Historically, the public has not had huge amounts of tolerance.
I won’t list tedious examples we all know about groups that have not been tolerated. But, for example, gays have been hated, not understood, and seriously discriminated against, as far as I’ve been able to find, for the entire history of mankind, close to universally across cultures, with few, narrow exceptions for some aspects.
Yet, now, for the first time, in the advanced world, homosexuality is better understood, more widely, with more societal tolerance and more than tolerance, than in human history.
But that isn’t the example that triggered this thread — it’s just a model for it.
Transgender is so far outside of most people’s comprehension historically that it hasn’t had almost any chance for tolerance.
Homosexuality was the love that dare not speak its name, but transgender was incomprehensible.
And as I look around now, while obviously there’s a long way to go, I see large parts of the people trying to understand, and succeeding, and more and more support for equal transgender rights.
Treating people who are transgender as who they are, respectfully.
Anecdotally, Caitlyn Jenner publicly celebrated. A book written by parents explaining the raising of their transgender child and the things they learned. The public fighting discriminatory laws.
It’s easy to forget how historic it is how society seems more able and willing to try to understand more diverse things that it hasn’t for thousands of years.
And I think that is great and something we should celebrate.
Imagine how little chance transgender had for any of this public acceptance any time in our history. And how many other groups can benefit from the same understanding.
The political rule used to be, the majority is going to discriminate. Blacks and other races — minority. Gays — minority. Other religions — minority.
That basic rule has shifted, to one where it’s much more widely viewed, that simply because a group is small in number is not reason for the majority to discriminate.
Each battle has helped the next. Women’s rights. Black rights. Gay rights. Transgender rights.
Because, as people progress on one, it’s easier to progress on another.
And there is a beauty in seeing so much of the 99% of people who are not transsexual, react with a desire to understand, rather than the normal historical reaction, to demonize the minority.
I wonder if younger people might wonder what the big deal is — that’s just normal not to demonize. And that's a good thing also.
This is a change from millennia of human history, and as Joe Biden said, that’s a big F’n deal. It's good to not just look at the latest battle over the issue, and appreciate the progress made.