Rainbows and Gray Matters

I know you might not agree with me – but do hear me out.  Well, because technically, you have no choice but to read.

Joking aside, a lot of times it doesn’t matter whether you are a he or she or they. Gender is such that it is a social norm – an evolving and empowering feeling. Biological sex is such that it is only the male and female that you are born with specific parts that are identifiable. But this is being challenged right now – more like AI-challenged!

I remember that I once proposed a program for Gender Equality by supporting Pride Month. A person stood up castigating me with the teachings of the Word. I just kept silent.

I believe in the diversity of people so much that there are uniqueness and strengths that are incompassable in every human being. I believe that it doesn’t need religion, science or any “logos” to respect people.

I believe that a lot of times – you need to be you in order to find you. That rainbows are so colorful, so much that they make up an array where at the end is a pot of gold. Whatever you are and whoever you believe in, you have to respect others too even if you disagree with him/ her/ theirs.

I believe that gray matters and gray areas are the same – they have spaces to fulfill in this world. That even a zombie in an apocalypse has a right to live in books and in that movie called Train to Busan.

Many times, you need to be you – to express yourself validly because your emotions are valid too. I remember a friend posting about men crying – one on his wedding day as a happy moment and the other crying because of grief due to the loss of a loved one.

Many times, we have put people into mere stereotypes and boxes with no room for growth so much that men can never be emotional and should be like, perhaps, robots to a point! But hey, remember that your emotions are as valid as any woman.

How many single moms have we seen who took care of their children by being an independent woman, mother, father and best friend to a child? How many men go by the name of “Taga”? “Taga-saing”, “taga-laba”, “taga-luto”, “taga-plantsa” and so on.

Although studies didn’t quite show the interrelatedness between gender identity and mental health, I see that most mental health issues especially for adolescents started in questioning their sex and gender. As a trigger warning, the scariest cases of self-harm or wanting to die spring from not being able to express a person’s emotion and identity. If you are somewhere in between these moments, know that you matter and that you have this specific space in this world.

Although we all happen to be a tiny dot on this earth, you are still you and no one can replace and take the place of that tiny dot that is you. Remember, you were breathed with life from the earth and the hearth.

I know that not everyone may agree with me as much as I disagree with you. But respect makes the world go round and sometimes it is encompassable and beyond things of comprehension and social norms or even religion. But if there is anything we should have, it is faith in a supreme being, faith in people and faith in ourselves. It is not by faith that we lose sight but by religion.

It is essential that we find respect for every being – be it big or small eyed, wide or semi-wide eared, tall or not so midget, thin or chubby arms, long-legged or short-legged mammal, striped or not animal and so the list goes on.

Our equations, plus and minuses are never the same but we do get one common answer. There may be various formulas to solve a math equation, especially a polynomial at that! In the same way, know that we are living and breathing humans capable of feelings. Let no one tell you otherwise!

Rainbows and gray matter – they do color the world besides the constancy and neutrality of the black and white hues. Isn’t it an aesthetically colorful world? What do you think?