Gender Separation
A bit of a huge tackle to take on for my second blog post, but I’ve wanted this on paper for a while now. Always taking things to an abstract level, I wanted to dig a little deeper into this topic. A few weeks ago, I attended Julian F. Keith Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center, a.k.a. Rehab. I was impressed by the organization there and the staff was more than exceptional. The structured interdisciplinary team couldn’t be more integrated, and the clients were very social and excited to have some extra support there, some new faces.
The one issue I kept hearing over and over again was how the men and women are separated in this facility. I am well aware this is not the only place and is more common than not. It’s not wrong, but it’s interesting. The staff reminded us of how the genders needed to be separated so that the clients don’t form relationships and lose sight of their treatment goals. At this very moment two women (patients) walked by, one dressed feminine one dressed very masculine, (hat, polo, baggy pants, chippes). The more masculine girl was escorting the other woman. I’m not one to make these types of inferences, or guesstimates, my ‘gaydar’ is horrible, but I suspected to a degree. Gay or not, I wondered what it would be like if two men, or two women formed a relationship in the facility, then what would the scrambling staff do? I do realize that not every individual should not be in solitude and totally separated in hopes of avoiding a sprouting relationship, but why couldn’t everyone just live together, amongst both genders? I know the “straight” population is tremendously higher than the LGBT population (appx. 10 mil. US) so it “makes sense” to divide people, but does it? Sex happens everywhere, and regardless of gender, if the clients are willing to put that before their treatment and own willingness to improve their life then let them make that decision and move on from the facility. Obviously they are not ready to fully commit to treatment. Is it the idea of pregnancy that makes heterosexual sex a more serious matter than homosexual encounters or is it the passionate connection of sex in general that reflects on un-prioritized treatment for these individuals?
Hermaphrodites, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Sorry guys.
It just makes me wonder, how much do we really need to be separating people? After all, bringing people together is what we do. Over time, we have done it. Different races, we have come together. Immigration, we are coming together. LGBT, we are coming together. Part of me feels just with the way things are going it is inevitable with time. Maybe 2035?
http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2014/01/maine-supreme-court-rules-transgender-student-cann.html
Something interesting to think about. Glad this person won! (And I’m not the only one).
