The Caitlyn Controversy

I was completely going to avoid this subject as it's so played out, but the stupid people are hurting my brain. Let me first say, if you don't think it's okay to go transgender, but you're considerate with your comments, I respect your opinion. I don't agree with it, but I respect that it's how you feel and you have a right to that. However, if you're against being transgender and act like an asshat about it, I think you're an idiot.

Now that that's out of the way, I'll give you my take. I cannot possibly begin to understand how it feels to be physically one sex, yet inside feel like the other. I can't only imagine how heartbreaking and emotionally painful it must be. I would never judge someone who goes through a change to become the person they truly believe they are. I think what Caitlyn did is brave. Someone on my Facebook commented that when we call people like her "brave" we're forgetting the real heroes that fight for our country. This makes no sense to me. I never called Caitlyn a hero, though I think she makes a good spokesperson for the LGBT community. But I don't forget or discredit what others have sacrificed in the name of freedom. What they do actually helps people like Caitlyn become who they are.  To be free of the mask she wore for decades. They fight for all the freedoms we're allowed these days and that is one thing great about our country.

I've also heard the argument that we're supposed to be the person that God made us. That only He or She can change us. I don't believe in isms. I don't believe in religion because  man made it. I don't believe that a book written eons ago and translated millions of times is supposed to be taken literally. I'm not sure if there is a giant invisible man in the sky watching down on us and waiting to judge us upon our death. There are two things I do know however. 1) I'm pretty sure if I live my life in a way that doesn't hurt anyone and if I treat people with respect, that what awaits my soul when my body is six feet under will be fine. 2) If your God didn't want people to become transgender, why did he allow us to gain the knowledge in order to create the technology that makes this possible?

I understand transgenderism. I do not understand intolerance. Why do you care? Is it affecting you and your rights? Truly, it's not your business what someone does with their body. Sound like a familiar argument?

And the religious right continues to defend their child molester to the ends of the earth, yet condemns Caitlyn for simply being who she is. If instead of Josh Duggar it was a black person, or gay person, or Muslim, or anyone that didn't fit into that perfect mold of all that is righteous and pure, you'd be wanting their head on a platter. Not only did he molest his own sisters, but then his family hid their ugly truth for their own benefit, not caring how all of this affected their daughters or their religious community. It's all for the good of television. The show must go on!!!

I've had people complain to me that I keep mentioning that Duggar is Christian, when molestation, by a Christan or not is reprehensible. Of course it is. I only mention this because of what I stated before about how those defending him would feel if it were someone else in his shoes, and because of who he is. He stood before you on television spewing vitriol against the LGBT community and marriage equality. He preached about family values yet inappropriately touched his own sisters and helped hide the truth. He should have been put in juvee, received counseling and been registered as a sex offender.  But no, he was sent to a Christian reform program, received no counseling, then went to work for a family friend. This is not justice This is not okay,

I'm tired of right wing Christians taking bible verses out of context when it fits their agenda and hiding behind their religion when they spout and breed intolerance. How come they never use these verses?:

Matthew 7:1 "Judge not lest ye be judged."
John 8:7 "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;"
1 Corinthian 4:5  Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God"
Proverbs 21: 2 "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."
James 4:12 " There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?"

I could go on and on.

Then you have Mike Huckabee sticking his foot in his mouth again by telling stupid transgender jokes. You have change.org trying to strip her of her gold medals

Why do I think Caitlyln Jenner is brave? Because it takes a lot to stand up and tell people who you really are when you know you will be faced with criticism and judgment.  Also, I think John Stewart also made a good point:

 "It's really heartening to see that everyone is willing to not only accept Caitlyn Jenner as a woman,
but to waste no time in treating her like a woman. You see, Caitlyn, when you were a man, we could talk about your athleticism, your business acumen, but now you’re a woman, and your looks are really the only thing we care about. Which brings us to phase two of your transition: 'comparative fuckability.'"

"As a woman, Jenner can now look forward to her physical appearance, not her talents or mind, being the object of daily scrutiny. Should she ever need to work, she can look forward to earning roughly 77% of what a man makes. Should she ever face physical or sexual violence, she, not her attacker, will be treated with suspicion. As a woman, Jenner will also have to get used to hearing not just new pronouns but other fun words like "shrill," "nagging," "bossy" and "emotional." And then, of course, there's the catcalling, which a "beautiful" woman like Jenner can now expect daily."

The struggle is real. Women in America are still fighting for their own rights, for equal rights. Caitlyn just joined that fight.

The Christian Defense: Supporting Josh Duggard

Yes, people make mistakes and can be forgiven. Child molestation is not a mistake. Child molestation is an abhorrent crime that dehumanizes and demoralizes victims. It's a power play,  bullying, and an abuse of trust. These types of crimes should be punished by law. However, Josh Duggan has skirted his way around it. Read on...

His apology?

“It is not mine to forgive but nonetheless I do and look forward for you to use this opportunity to work with others who have struggled with similar or like actions and educate them on how to turn away from such behavior. I’m sure it is the last thing you want to revisit but you can help so many boys and girls and probably already have by making this public statement. Be strong and don’t let the negative reaction play over and over in your head. You have a lot of supporters, lean on them, let their words wash over you as you all pick up and move forward.”

He barely apologizes for his actions and makes himself sound like a victim.

 “Even though we would never choose to go through something so terrible, each one of our family members drew closer to God. We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family."

Never choose to go through? That's exactly what you did. And thank the good Lord you molested your sisters so your whole family could be closer to God.

“The media can be shameless & so hurtful. My family has experienced the media’s lack of knowledge and truth trying to make something out of a mistake & it was so incredibly hurtful to our family. To feel as though you have truth and you’re fighting a massive giant such as the media can be so frustrating.”

Yes, your family is hurt, especially the sisters you molested. And I'm sorry, this is the job of media, to uncover and expose, even the ugly. And lack of knowledge? They dredged up a police report buried years ago. What exactly are they lacking? And the truth is you inappropriately touched young girls, including your sisters, and are hardly repentant. You seem more apologetic about being found out than actually committing the crime.

His fans are defending him, politicians..."he's an example of humility and redemption." Really? He spoke about it because he had to, because some journalist did their homework and dug up this ugliness. He would have gone his entire life not exposing this if it hadn't been found out.

One of his fans actually said something to the affect, "he only molested them, it's not like he raped them." O.o Okay, how about you get molested, then raped, then tell us what the difference is? Do you feel less violated? Less demoralized? Fuck me. No pun intended.



Some are comparing this to the Lena Dunham commission of molesting her sister. There's a difference.  Is what she did wrong? Yes.  And honestly, it did change my opinion of her the way she so flippantly spoke of it in her book. Of course, she was seven to Duggan's 14, and hers was one instant compared to repeating the offense over the course of years against 5 different girls. And Dunham doesn't shroud herself in a veil of propriety and righteousness.

Apparently, if you believe in God, all is forgiven. No need to spend time in juvee or get "real" therapy (I will talk more about that in a minute). Christians are above the law of the land? They only are accountable to religious law?

Let's talk about the parents...

His parents should have been arrested for waiting so long to report the offenses. I mean, convenient to hide the truth until the statute of limitations had run its course, right? And when Jim Bob does report it, who does he go to first? The police...oh wait, no, my mistake...the church elders. Are you fucking kidding me? Your child has just sexually violated children, YOUR OWN CHILDREN, scarring them for life, and you go to the church instead of the authorities? I'm sorry, I love my kids, but if they EVER did that, I'm sending them to the authorities, hoping they get the help they need, because for me, child abuse, in any form, needs to be dealt with.

How about setting them up for disaster? The kids, at least a few of them, definitely the molester and victims, slept in a common room. Um...14 year old boy, hormones raging, with sleeping girls. Parent Fail. Even if I trusted my kids to the ends of the earth and back, I would not put them in that situation. Boys do stupid shit, especially at an age where their libido leads the way. 

Jim Bob also refused to let police interview Josh. Helpful, no? Of course he let all of his daughters go through that torture. No report was filed either. Could it be because Jim Bob knew the state trooper he'd reported it too? The trooper gave Josh a "stern talking to" and decided that the "therapy" he'd undergone was enough. Um...how about looking into that "therapy" before making that decision? Oh wait, you probably didn't care that much since you,  yourself were a pedophile, now serving 56-years in prison for child pornography.

About this so called "therapy."

Jim Bob didn't want poor Joshy in a place where there were other offenders, he must be so fragile. Of course, that meant no sexual assault counseling for him. Nope. Jim Bob instead sent him to a good Christian program. But wait, there's more. For part of his "therapy," Josh ended up working for a family friend who was in the business of remodeling.  No counseling for sex offenders there. No counseling at all. I bet that was helpful. The other part of the time he was at the Basic Life Principles Training Center run by friend of the family, Bill Gothard. Their website contends that they are, ...dedicated to giving clear instruction and training on how to find success by following God’s principles found in Scripture." I guess God's principles includes sexual grooming and groping young women. Last year Gothard resigned his post from the center after allegations of sexual grooming and sexual harassment of over 30 young women and teens surfaced. This was the man offering his counsel to Josh Duggard. SMH.

Duggan has traveled the country bashing the LGBT community and calling them sexual deviants.  He's pronounced how doing bad things to children is evil in "one of its worst forms." He blasts
Muslims for their treatment of women.  He claims that marriage equality destroys the American family.  He stated that his family is the epitome of conservative values. All if this is hypocrisy at its finest.

• Sexual deviant, check. 
• Molesting children, check. 
• Demoralizing sisters, check. 
• Hiding his past from the public while maintaining the image of the "perfect American family," check. A child molester who never paid his time living under the guise of conservative values, check.

Has Josh Duggan lived a good life since? Supposedly, but how do I know? The public sees what their television show wants them to see. I've never seen an episode. A family breeding like rabbits and praising God isn't exactly my idea of good entertainment.

I do think people can rehabilitate with HELP.
I do believe in forgiveness.

However, what I don't agree with is this:

• Hiding behind Jesus to suit your own selfish needs. 
• Praising the almighty dollar.
• Hiding the truth. 
• Waiting until the statute of limitations runs out to report sexual assault.
• Not getting a sex offender the right kind of counseling and treatment.
• Not filing a report on a repeat sex offender, friend or not.
• Apologizing without admission.
• Acting as a role model in the public eye when you have darkened your religion and the legal system.
• Being a hypocrite.

The most frightening thing is that this is all about Josh. What about his victims? His sisters are voiceless amid this revelation. Josh got "help." Did they? Did the Duggars send their daughters to counseling? A doctor even? Probably not. It seems they've been hushed instead of standing up for themselves. Of course, this goes along with the home school teachings in sexual assault, which focuses a lot on victim blaming and is nothing less than appalling. How refreshing it would be to see one of them speak out? Sadly, I'm sure that's against their "family values."