Dr. Yarhouse

Last Thursday I got the opportunity to go and listen to Dr. Yarhouse speak at one of Huntington’s forester lecture about sexual identity. Right from the beginning of his talk I was learning things that I did not know before. Like he explained to us that sexual identity isn’t just weather you are male or female, but rather if that is how you see yourself as well. I kind of felt bad after he talked about the use of terms nowadays that are used freely in daily conversations that people might actually take offense to. I felt bad, because I myself am guilty of doing this. I can recall times where I have jokingly called a friend gay or a fag, because of something they did at that time. It never even occurred to me that my friend, or someone around me, might have taken offense to that. Since listening to Dr. Yarhouse at the forester lecture and in class on Friday, I have tried very hard to avoid any language that could possibly upset someone. I know that I’m not perfect and I probably will slip up at some point, but as long as I keep this on the forefront of my mind I know I can change my behavior.

Now, having said that I am trying to change does not mean everyone will change, but I think the other side of this issue needs to try and change as well. The people who might take offense to this kind of language, before getting all worked up, should pause and take a good look at the context in which the language is used. As I pointed out before the language is being used so commonly now in, especially younger people’s, conversations without it being intended to insult someone. This issue is not one that is easily resolved, but if both sides would slow down and put down their words of hate towards one another and talk about it like adults I am sure that some kind of solution can be reached.

I really enjoyed Dr. Yarhouse speak to us, I learned so much from his talked that there is no way I could fit it all into this reflection paper. All of his points really hit home with me, because the whole sex gender issues that have been talked about so much lately has really caught my eye. I look forward to seeing how the world resolves this issue and how people handle it.