Transgender Bathrooms

There has been a debate going on as of recent times regarding restrooms and transgender people.  In the past few weeks the debate as gained intensity.  Curt Schilling, a former MLB pitcher who had moved on to do analyst work for ESPN was recently fired for a social media post  regarding transgender bathroom laws that have been passed or are working their way through different state's legislative systems.  Schilling's post depicted a very unflattering image of a transgendered person and the caption "Let him In! to the restroom with your daughter or else you are a narrow minded, judgmental, unloving, racist bigot who needs to die"  It is obvious that Schilling is against allowing transgender person to use the restroom that they most identify with.  He is not alone in thinking either.  On the other hand, there is also a large contingency of people that are in support of changes.

The portion of this story that I think is most interesting is that is shows that there has been a major shift  occurring relative to how transgender people are received in pop culture.  As little as 15 years ago the of topic of  transgender specific bathrooms  and or allowing persons to use the restroom assigned to the gender they identify with was not even open for discussion.  Fast forward to present day, many states have passed laws  requiring public places to accommodate transgendered persons with separate restrooms or allowing them to use the restroom of their choice.

In my opinion, the "debate" is really not a debate at all.  I say this because I define a debate two sides arguing on the same issue.  Sure, on the surface one could say that on the surface it is a debate on bathrooms.  I say though, that it is far deeper than bathrooms and there are major agendas at play here.

Those who argue against the restrooms are mostly the conservative  who want just keep things as they have always been, just for the sake of pushing back on change.  Or they talk about safety concerns stemming from a portion of that population that will take advantage of the laws to prey on others. Those who are arguing for it are the changes respond by saying that with every freedom we grant to the public you always run that risk.  Whether is free speech to the right to own guns.

This debate is far from being put to rest, but at least the debate keeps people thinking about what their own perception of right and wrong are and who has rights and who doesn't have rights!

 

Pushing kids to grow up too fast!

The Illusion of choice

The Illusion of choice

                It has recently come to my attention that 90% of American media content is owned by just 6 companies.  This was startling for me to hear, as I was under the impression (like many of us) that media was controlled by many different companies.  I figured that with all the different cable channels and hundreds of different news papers and magazines, there has to be a great number of different controlling interests.

                After learning this fact, I came to the realization that, I don't truly have the options that I previously believed I had when it came to my consumption of information and media.  The illusion that  these companies create is that you can find unbiased and or true counter arguments in mainstream media.  This could not be farther from the truth.  A particular media giant may have to different publications that seeming have decidedly left or right wing slants to them.  The actuality is that both are being carefully crafted to maintain the highest profits for the parent company.  Any they wouldn't dare to actually broadcast or print something that is outside that core foundation of the parent organization.  

                It is a startling realization that even the most opposed sides of media are in cahoots with one another.  It makes me lose faith in the news that is being printed and broadcast.  It makes one wonder where they can go to get truly unbiased and untainted information.  It is the ultimate manifestation of why the saying "don't believe everything you read" is used. Is it is possible to read two opposing accounts of the same happening and since both are owned by the same company neither of them be true.  The parts that are not in the best interest of the media giant will be deliberately omitted from both stories.

                Another related example of the same type of situation in the fast food industry.  McDonalds holds or has held majority stakes in both Quizno's and Chipotle.  As the public turned away from the tradition fast food of burger and fries, McDonalds, in essence just re-branded themselves. I'm sure lots of people were not in agreement with McDonalds' practises and felt they were voicing that displeasure  buy purchasing food from Chipotle and or Quizno's.  The fact is that they were still filling the pockets of the McDonalds corporation!