About Loving Humans
This story was published on May 16th 2019. It was written by the IMAESC Students (2018–2020 Cohort)
May 17th is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT). Our cohort, as both members and allies of the LGBTQ community, stands proud today with love in our hearts.
Some of our classes are analytical, some are methodological — and sometimes, a class can get very emotionally touching. This post invites you to experience some of the impressions and emotions that touched us during a seminar on LGBTQ issues this semester.
In preparation for the seminar, several members of the group shared resources and videos before, after and during the class. The following three TED talks have wonderful messages that we think everyone should hear. Take a few minutes to remind yourselves what it means to love and what it means to be human.
Listen to what Susan Cottrell has to say about the importance of love for everyone and how empowering it can be when it is there — but also how destructive it can be when it isn’t, especially when other people’s love depends on who you love.
Skip Pardee beautifully illustrates that we should appreciate people for being the person that they are and the great qualities they have by giving emotional insights to his experience as the father of a transgender son
And last, but not least, Jenni Chang and Lisa Dezols talk about LGBTQ life around the world shows you the beauty and strength of people who go beyond the borders of what is “normal”, “usual” or “accepted” in their social sourroundings and countries, to promote rights of all people and create a new understanding of “normality”.
Although LGBTQ communities are safe and loved in many parts of the world, there are still a large number of countries in which it is illegal to adopt, to marry, or even to love if you do not fit into the heteronormative framework. As IMAESC students working towards a vision of society that is free from oppression, we strive for the day that ALL humans are able to love freely, openly and honestly, regardless of gender.
