Sexual Orientation Reflection After TED Talk

        In the video, "How a Sanctuary for Self-Expression Can Change Lives," I think the TED talk was very informative and can be inspiring for many. The transgender girl, Reed, knew very young, from the age of 3 or so, that she wanted to be a girl. She dressed up in pink and sparkles and pretended to have long hair with scarves and towels. Her parents, unsure how to support her, eventually let her go and be true to herself. A mother of a gay man was also a part of the TED talk and talked about how scary it was to let her son be who he was. I think both perspectives of their speeches were very informative because they can freely talk about their experience and how we need to end the gender "norm." I think the gender norm is tricky for parents to balance with raising their kids, because we have a very unfriendly society. I think that as a young child, you should be able to be free to be who you want to be, but maybe as parents, create more guidance and understand how your child is feeling. I think it is important for parents to teach their kids about the gender norms, but they shouldn't force their children to fit into those norms. It will be harder for both parties if a child is stuck and forced into the norm because they will feel accepted by no one. Overall, I liked and agreed with the TED talk that we should end the gender norm, but I don't think ending it will solve all problems. I think we have to educate children about what the "gender norm" is and then give guidance based on what the child is feeling or wants to do.