frank-en-fuck:

I feel like today’s society isn’t accepting of allowing people to change. Like we all LOVE being “woke” and shit but when someone with a platform who has a past of being problematic (but not intentionally), tries to change and learn and progress-we don’t validate it. It’s ridiculous. We can’t preach about educationg yourself on racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. and then get mad when those who would say things partaining to such realize their faults and try to change.

Back when i lived in this white-ass racist town with republican parents I had views that I’d now say are racist/homophobic/etc. That was because that’s what was taught to me and I was never shown another side and I never thought to look it up and social media wasnt even a big thing yet. I only had the people around me to go off of and those weren’t very educated people. It took creating a tumblr account and college to realize how a lot of my views were stemmed from racism or whateverthehell. I have learned, i have been someone to make my family more “woke” on a lot of topics. I realized that I’m a bisexual trans dude in the process of it.

We need to learn empathy. If someone were to have a recording of something i said when i was 16 that was problematic I’d bloody hate for that to be the thing i live under. For THAT to be people’s impression of who I am. I am not the person I was even a MONTH ago. Drastic changes happen, we change DAILY. People can be the biggest homophobe one month and going to pride in celebration the next month. People can CHANGE. They can own up to their shit- they can own up to saying and thinking problematic things and learn from it.

Let’s not create a society that doesn’t allow people to feel validated in trying to become better. I’ve listened to friends get indoctrinated by lowkey racist and homophobic ideals by their families and its insane how deep that can go. I’ve had friends who took only a few articles to change their minds and realize their problematic ways. But ive also had friends who took a bit longer to come around.

I dont want this to sound like im sitting here saying “forgive all problematic assholes!” No. I’m saying give the people who are clearly making a change and becoming helpful members of society and joining the conversation a chance. There’s always going to be exceptions to this-some shit you just can’t forgive and I understand that and there are people I can’t forgive. All i’m asking is that we recognize that other people are allowed to become “woke” even if their past depicts the opposite of that.