Trauma is a term we often hear talked about in communities of color and the LGBTQ community. There is an entire body of knowledge about how to support individuals who have had trauma. But what is trauma and how ordinary is it?
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I have a vivid memory of a birthday when I was around eight years old. I had gotten a brownie camera that morning, a birthday gift from my parents. I was excitedly running around the house taking pictures. Suddenly dad was angry at me. I had done something wrong in the eyes of my father. I was never exactly sure what I had done. He got angry at me, threatening some kind of punishment. I remember being very hurt that my father was yelling at me on my special day. There was something about me that could bring out my fathers anger, even thought I knew he loved me.
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In my prior post I described some of my thoughts and feelings as I approached beginning divorce mediation with my wife. Before finalizing and posting my last blog post I made sure that I had a conversation with my partner to share with him what I was feeling and thinking. I did not want him to read intimate thoughts and feelings that touched our relationship for the first time online.
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Trump Protest
Given how Trump has dominated the news for months now, and the recent complete descent of Trump events into violence, it is hard to imagine how a President Trump would govern this country. The way he incites racial hatred, religious hatred and violence does not bode well for the United States of America. I can imagine Trump supporters, during a Trump presidency, quickly becoming disappointed and angry when he can not fulfill his promises. He will be unable to deliver everything he has said he will do to, “make America great again,” given the limits of presidential power. I can imagine a president Trump pushing the limits of presidential power or even circumventing the rule of law to have his way. I can imagine military leaders refusing his orders. I can imagine Congress refusing to follow his leadership. I can imagine impeachment hearings. I can imagine Trump turning to wars, invasions, strong man tactics against anyone he dislikes in order to divert attention from his failures as president.
Ireland just passed a bill removing religious exemption from their LGBT equality law. The Republic of Ireland earlier this year approved same sex marriage in a referendum, which went into effect this month. They are now removing the religious exemption, a topic that has been controversial in the United States, from their equality laws.
I was nervous yesterday morning as I drove from my apartment to my old house for Thanksgiving. Having separated from my wife two and a half years ago to live my life openly as a gay man, this would be the third Thanksgiving since our separation, that I returned to the house for a big family Thanksgiving.
