Standing up for something

This morning I did something I haven’t done for a very, very long time. I removed someone from my Facebook friend list. I don’t normally do streamlining or weeding out on FB as I have acquired a more que sera sera attitude towards social media. However after posting the above picture I received a comment about gays lesbians and mental health that I found unacceptable and shallow. I believe people have the right to an opinion but I don’t believe those rights should interfere with another persons wellbeing or lifestyle choice or right to live in safety.

I don’t consider homosexuality a mental illness. I have mental illness and though there is much potential to be traumatised by being different in society I don’t believe gender preference is a diagnostic indicator of any psychiatric disease nor was I taught such at Medical School. I therefore rather than enter into an argument which would depress me further and upset those who are homosexual or choose to stand up for human rights on my FB friend list, just hit delete and unfriend.

Any type of overt -ism is uncomfortable ground for me. I cannot overlook it no matter who said it. This has often got me into trouble with colleagues, seniors and bosses. I wish I had a stronger self-preservation instinct but prejudice against any fraction of society such that limits the humans rights of that fraction is just unacceptable to me. I cannot overlook it once it’s been uttered and no doubt will have to work on a moderate response to such situations in my upcoming psychodynamic therapy.

I link my reaction to being bullied in the past, I wouldn’t have been bullied if I was stronger and I don’t want to ever be in a position of weakness again where someone can exploit me. The exploitation of other people and animals causes such anguish in me, that it was actually a picture of animal cruelty which led to my chest pain and subsequent admission and diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension almost 2 years ago. For me bullying is a trigger and I have learnt to strengthen myself and rise above it no matter what flavour it comes in.