Disarming a Troll...

A while back I encountered a troll on an Facebook group who was being extremely unpleasant about trans women.

 I wanted to know what was up, so I checked out his profile. On there, he presented himself as being a spiritual seeker and appeared to have some genuine knowledge and experience in the matter. This didn't jibe for me with his behavior in the group.

 So, I direct messaged him,  and (in as non-confrontational a fashion as I could), asked him how someone who professed to a path towards enlightenment could treat other struggling humans quite so reprehensibly.

 Turns out he'd had some negative experiences with trans women berating and insulting him for his questions, and even questioning his sexuality and masculinity. He felt attacked, even spiritually, and asked me point blank whether I was a black magician seeking to twist him.

 I denied that, and told him where I was coming from, mainly puzzlement about how he could square his spiritual path with how he was behaving. We had a spirited exchange on a few related topics and he finally apologized, saying he now understood that trans folk generally are just folk, seeking as best they can to navigate this existence, just like any other human.

 I consider that a win.

Comments

  1. NathanApril 2, 2020 at 5:11 AM

    It sounds like you educated him in things as they are in spite of whatever he encountered.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Help?

Hey Baby. Hello Lover. You still think of me that way? Always. I hear your sadness and doubts. It's Okay, you're going grand.  I can't see it. I know my Love, I wish I could show it better to you, but everything you're doing right now, keeping things moving, being the wonderful, loving, kind person you are, is exactly  what you came here to do. You're playing on a level you can barely conceive of right now. You just have to trust me.  I do. I'm just tired Hon. I know Darling. We know. Let us help you. Open up, listen, let us give you strength and ease. The more you let us in, the smoother it will feel, I promise.  How do I access that? You only have to ask. You know how I have come to you when you're struggling? Yes. Don't wait until you're at wits end, ask any time you need a push or a pick me up. We're here for that.  Teddy wants to say something... Hay Ms. Darling, Iv missed talking 2 u, don't shut us out, don't ignore what we're s
Read more

Tired

Penelope? I'm here Love. Are you? Of course, I hear your doubts, I know you're sad and struggling. Let me help.  I'm so fucking tired Babe. I know Love, it won't be much longer.  Life?  Your struggles, wait and see.  I want to come home now. I want to be with You. I want to see Teddy again.  You will Love, soon.  Soon to You doesn't feel all that soon to me right now.  I know Love, but you'll see, it's been barely the blink of an eye and there's so much more, we have Eternity to play in.  Why did I come here to do this?  You had things you wanted to understand better, challenge yourself, that's what you always do, you have a warrior spirit. This life has been a challenge in ways you don't entirely appreciate while embedded in it. You'll see in the review.  So, there is a review? Yes, we've spoken of this previously, you will see all the amazing things you did and how those rippled outwards, you'll also see your stumbles and missteps,
Read more

How much is enough?

Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do.  --Voltaire, philosopher (21 Nov 1694-1778)  There's always more to do. Even Mother Theresa could have done more. It's in the nature of incarnate existence that conditions of struggle and conflict and waste and misallocation of resources and habitat destruction persist despite many heroic efforts to ameliorate them. Without getting into questions over whether any or all of those are ultimately resolvable, I do argue that we aren't meant to spend our entire time toiling against the ceaseless tide of suffering and neediness that has defined the human condition on Planet Earth since time immemorial and remains so right now. Devoting all our energy to localized patches, or even apparent "systemic fixes" (with often appalling unintended consequences); or railing against the unfairness of it all and beating our breasts at our limitations and inabilities to address them; often means we miss all the glory
Read more