Since humans walked this earth there have always been groups of minorities. People with mental and physical disabilities, people of the Third Gender (homosexuals) and people who are just different. Many years ago, isolating oneself and blaming the people who were different was a way of survival. But this is no longer the case
Our Third Gender population have found their own voice, encouraging and teaching society to accept them as human beings who just happen to be different in their preferences towards sexual partners.
Due to an accident to Super Man (Christopher Reeves), society listened to those with the inability to walk and express themselves properly and started to provide special provisions to accept these people and assist them.
Migrants from war torn countries especially after the World Wars, travelled to other parts of the world such as America (after World War 1), Canada and Australia (after World War 2) and became part of a new society in those countries. It took two generations before these migrants were accepted by the population of their adopted home, but over the years the types of food available in the shops changed, and the choice of restaurants grew, all due to this migration. All of a sudden, these migrants were part of society, no longer outsiders.
Although many of these minorities are still outsiders, they have become powerful and some have a habit of using this to accuse others of still showing their dislike.
Many years ago, when women weren’t encouraged to be leaders of society, I was invited to a meeting for a newly introduced Women’s Movement. Since childhood I was treated the same way as my brother. No one expected me to be my brother’s servant, and I joined in many of the sports and activities he was involved with. In some places I had worked I noted how women were treated differently to men, but I accepted that was the way of the world. So, this Women’s Movement I thought could be interesting. I was so disappointed. Run like a proper meeting, women were encouraged to speak out and come up with ideas as to how the world could change its behaviour towards women. As each woman spoke it was very obvious, they were angry with men, and it was their desire to take over and treat men the way men had treated them. To me they should have been working towards equality, not revenge or a reversal of roles. I left the meeting deciding this wasn’t for me. As it turned out, over the years, women who had been the breadwinner during the war while the men were away fighting, taught their daughters they could do anything they wanted, which created a world where women became educated and an important part of society. Slowly but surely women had becoming equal partners in running the world.
All these people were once minorities and are now being accepted into society. But there is still a dislike by certain groups who believe they are superior to others. There is still some bitterness between the male and female which has become known as Domestic Violence.
I grew up in a home where someone had a disability, (my mother was blind). People who live or have lived with a disabled person have a better understanding of being snubbed and excluded. My mother learned to hold on to the hands of people she was speaking with, as so many times she would be talking and the other person would just get up and walk away, leaving my mother carrying on a conversation to an empty chair. Not only was this rude, but sad to see. I never understood how people could be so cruel.
Everyone no matter what their background, belief, or ability is still a human being. They have emotions and feelings, and can be hurt. Everyone deserves to be treated as you expect to be treated. Just because they are different from you, they should not be looked down on as bad, ugly, horrible people who shouldn’t live in your world.
They should be accepted for who they are, and what they can offer to society. It is up to us to discover how they can contribute to society, not for them to prove themselves.
Julie Finch-Scally ©
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