Wanna Split it 50/50? – YEP Volunteer Blog Post (2017)

September 15, 2017

Equality – yup, we are going there. The meaning most people know is that it’s the view that everyone should receive equal treatment and not be discriminated against based on their lifestyle. Unfortunately, people often go to one side or the other. When the word equality is brought up into conversation, nowadays, LGBT+ is often sitting right next to it. It’s quite interesting how there are so many different views and opinions on equality in regards to both gender and sexuality.

Gender equality has been a word in the wind that has done nothing but wait to be caught. Quite a lot of people believe in this lie that we have been told – that each sex is equal to the other – when in fact, even though more options and gender categories appeared, neither are as equal as it should be.

“Man”

Society has unfortunately created a specific image of man that is now known as the ‘stereotypical man’. Many males still feel they have to live up to those expectations of being selfless yet arrogant, in charge, and the ‘man of the house’. These stereotypes have been blown way out of proportion, so much so that now males are being questioned about their sexuality if they are ‘more colourful’ than they ‘ought to be’.

If their emotional state involves crying or they wear a pink shirt, they get teased or looked down upon. Since man evolved, the expectation has been that a man is the one that looks after the family. Men, listen! If you want to cry, sob till your hearts content; if you want to buy that pink pillow, just buy it! But please whatever you do, do not conform to society’s expectations because identity should not be based on society’s stereotypes of gender or sexuality. You be you!

“Woman”

Women were – and still are! –  often thought of as the ‘weaker’ sex when in comparison to men. They were bound to the house to cook, clean and do other household duties, including looking after the children and keeping them in safe. Many of those rules, regulations and stigmatizations have now changed, but there are new ones that society has managed to bubble over. When people say or believe that women are still seen as weaker compared to men, it’s like saying chocolate will always be better than cookies even though cookies can have chocolate in them and chocolate can be cookies and cream flavoured, which makes this argument invalid because they are both at the same amazingness level. Right???

LGBTI+

Sexuality is something extraordinary and personal that has a very wide range of types. Getting to know your sexuality is all a part of getting to know yourself. This topic has been and is a very heated subject to chat about. As a blanket statement, I believe that no one should be judged  based upon their sexuality because it’s a part of them as a whole person. A lot of people get bullied for their sexuality. Just as everything else, it has more than one point of view making it very hard for many to pick a side, because that’s what the human race loves to do – pick a side.  It is very surprising the amount of closet homosexuals are walking around constantly trying to change every bit of themselves because it’s not “right”, which is yet another product of our society’s influence.

I myself am bisexual, and when i came out I felt very restricted and frowned upon. I felt as though I had just caught ebola with the way people treated me. It was like if they got close to me they would catch ‘i’m-gay-itis’ like, “no barbara, that’s not a real thing”. Having to feel like I had to explain myself to everyone was the worst feeling ever and no one should have to explain their sexuality to anyone. If you don’t want someone to know, don’t tell them. It’s not their god-given right to know what you prefer behind closed doors. Remember that saying – “don’t judge a book by it’s cover?” Well, don’t judge a person by their sexuality. We all have a beating heart and red blood; we are all human.

As I’ve stated, equality is the view that everyone should receive equal treatment and not be discriminated against based on their lifestyle. You’d be surprised on how many things that surround us that are not actually promoting equality. Things like the toy sections in your local shopping centre, they separate the boys’ from the girls’ toys, and the same with clothing. Have you seen a pink toy car? Or a pink monster teddy? Well, if you said yes, I want to know where because I myself have not seen one and that is only because society has created this idea that pink is a girl’s colour and cars and monster teddies are boys’ toys. Yes, there are even colours to separate the two sexes. Plus it’s known that women and men often earn different amounts even if they’re at the same job. Why? I have no clue.

As for the bullying, constant judgement and narrow minded-ness of society, I myself have suffered the wrath of this and it is not something nice to go through. As a young teen going through puberty and raging hormones almost tipping you off the edge of socialising, it’s stressful enough let alone having to go through the hits and the kicks of society. Ever since I was in year 5, I knew something was different with me but I never really found it until year 7 when I noticed I was attracted to my female best friend. Finding that out was both relieving but stressful.

I was in year 8 and I was extremely popular and I felt confident in my friends enough to tell them about my sexuality. It didn’t go well, they immediately thought I would be interested in them just because of the genitals that they had. Every female friend got worried to be around me, and every guy got disgusted and angry at me. It got so hard, I fell into depression and even getting out of bed was a hassle. Walking down the hallways at school would result in me getting called names and stares that would make medusa wet her pants.

It wasn’t only at school though, growing up in a household that was nothing short of something of the Bible is not fun. My father is a very strict Christian man and telling him was what I most feared and rightfully so. aAfter telling him, he ignored me for weeks. For months, I tried to gain his attention, trying to make it up to him, but what I realised is that everyone is different and not many people remind themselves that, which is the problem. Life is hard, it’s like a car journey – when things get hard it’s only because you’ve stopped to get fuel, you’ll be back on track in no time.

Care for others, take into consideration of what they have been through or what they’re going through. Words hurt just as much as punches, and no one appreciates being judged and ridiculed. I will never understand why people feel the need to separate people based on things they can’t change like sexuality and gender. Just remember that we are all human no matter the sexuality, gender, sex or what colour we want our dinosaur slippers to be.