The Kids are Confused
Psychological Warfare is Effective
One of my kiddo's friends texted tonight that he was disturbed we have a rapist for a president. Kiddo said to me--I think he meant racist? I realized my kid doesn't know what a rapist is.
Kiddo knows about consent. Knows about boundaries. Knows about respect. Knows about the importance of communication and discipline. Knows about all kinds of things that would contribute to healthy relationships. But not about rape. So I explained that to my kiddo today, on inauguration day, and watched disgust wash over his face.
Now, it's time to sleep. And I'm shaking my head because many people think my kids might be confused that their parent is transgender. And they want to protect kids from that "confusion."
But really--my kids are confused that so many people in our country don't want to accept that the sickening, violent and very long history of racism in our country is still pertinent today.
They are confused that a small number of people have hoarded massive amounts of wealth, while education, healthcare, and other vital institutions crumble. They are confused about why--instead of blaming the very, ultra rich for extracting wealth via a corrupt tax code, they blame homeless people for their homelessness.
They are super confused by every disgusting thing they have heard and seen, with their own eyes, our current president do and say. And how they've watched people defend those actions, and often, pretend they didn't happen.
They are so confused by the things they've heard come out of the mouths of the modern, distorted masculinity movement--and how it is so incredibly, boldy disparaging of women. And how some women accept that, and even defend it.
And they are confused about why these people—the folks who are hell-bent on erasing transgender people’s existence, think they can't grasp 1) that some people are transgender, and 2) that that is ok, and 3) that we love our transgender friends and family.
This is what it feels like to be gaslit. We must stay focused and connected through all this. Psychological warfare is effective, and we're about to get rocked pretty hard.
