Differences

We are different... both individually and by groups like gender.  I say that as someone that believes in trans people.  I think you HAVE to in order to even HAVE trans people. If there are not established generalities of genders, how can you know you are the other?

I recall when I got married the second time, we were given marriage and relationship counseling books as presents to help make sure it lasted.  One of those books was Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.  Are you aware of them?  I am sure you are.  They lay out many of the differences between men and women so that each can learn to adapt and appreciate each other's needs and ways of doing things.  Of course, that was before groups started trying to annihilate each other and proclaim their way as superior.. whether that be genders, classes, or even political parties.  That's the extent I will go for politics, but it's a sign of the culture.

It's not just true for gender groups but even in other things that cut across genders.  Remember the book The Five Love Languages?  Again, it is meant to help identify how others can receive and give love, so we can adapt and see their love and give it to them in a way they will see.  Yet, that TOO was soon used, instead, to say that we should only be with others that share our love languages.

We are different.  That is not meant to say that we cannot work together.  It is meant to say that we need to ACCEPT that others are different to work with them.  I watch a TV show at times called Last Man Standing.  Tim Allen stars in it and just like the prior show of which he was well known, he is married to someone of different political and gender perspective.  Yet... they have a deep romance, because that's not about what interest that they share but that they are interested in each other.

I'm putting this on Forward to Happiness, because I think it is important to realize that your way is not the only way.  You will never grow, if you don't expose yourself to new things and new people.  We are different, and that's ok. It's more than ok.  It means we have the mental and genetic material needed to have a society, an organization, a family, or even an individual that thrives, IF we are aware of their needs and open to their experience.