Multicultural Experience and Interview at the Latino Hispanic Center - Coursework Example

Multicultural Experience and Interview Introduction I had always had an adverse perception of the transgender community until I had an experience with them in a cultural event organized at the Latino Hispanic center. The event was a two-day extravaganza for a community perceived by many as being negative of their natural gender. Before then, I questioned the motive behind an individual’s desire to transform his or her gender. At the event, I expected to meet and interact with the transgender community. It was certain the event presented a chance to learn their beliefs and understanding of aspects of social life. I lay my objectives and patiently waited for the opportunity present itself. However, I was nervous to interact with them. Basing on my beliefs and information I had gathered from continuous reading and research, I adopted a viewpoint that transgender individuals are radicals. What I discovered during the transgender event transformed my viewpoint. It was a privilege to spend a short session offering counselling services and leaning the experience as expressed by transgender individuals in attendance. The Event and Lessons I had never imagined there is a group of individuals who are transgender, partly because I was ignorant and slightly biased. It was challenging to learn that there were about 700,000 transgender persons in the US, yet my knowledge of them was very narrow. The event involved delegates from all states introducing themselves alongside few making speeches, which I found to be tiresome. I could not wait to spring at the chance of talking to any of them. I hoped no other party would realize my intentions. I found out the most challenging factors that face the transgender community. They were evident from the series of talks and my interactions with them. One of them walked to me, which was what I had been waiting for, and started conversing without caring whom I was. During his introduction, George maintained he had transformed from being Becky for nearly two years then, but still had challenges with people identify him as Becky. I almost froze with words in my throat when he asked me to recount on any experience I had. I thought and decided to tell him why I was in the gathering. He almost broke down; he knew I was investigating on them. I worked at his confidence when he talked again; he revealed to me more happenings that presented challenges the community faced. He pointed out to ignorance, discrimination, and biased opinions about them (Aldama, Sandoval, & García, 2012). From a social perspective, others perceive them to have refused the use of the term sex to connote gender. They end up discriminated against them in many social places, for example, at schools; they find other students too rough and do not want to seat close to them. It attributes to the fact that there are not enough sensitizing campaigns by learning institutions. “Asking everyone what sex they are on forms and questionnaires is dehumanizing, and I hope the government checks this out,” he said. He gained advantage of me and changed my perception of them. I found him reasonable, not as I had initially thought. I felt they needed protection by the legal tools, from all forms of harassments and precisely, psychological torture. My counselling experience became more practical because I gained information that is more personal on the transgender community. Their opinions need must be respected and given a voice at the national platform. They need more protection of the law and all institutions, these I learnt from my conversation with George. I found them very bold and hard to convince into making any decisions. I gained the confidence of talking to George only after he was sure I was not hinting at humiliating him. I aligned more of my theoretical perception of religion, which objects the need for anyone to change their sex. It would make anyone a religious misfit, which is why George answered my question about his religious affiliation with discernment for religious teachings. Religion, according to him should be fair to all, by respecting and upholding the views of all worshippers. He asserted that if any religion rejected them based on gender, then it is tantamount to impunity. My mind could not find a religion that has un-parallel teachings with transgender. The experience improved my scope of thought, to understand why an individual chooses what he or she does. According the counselling ethics, a counsellor should reason from any available facts to find the best solutions to the problems. The source of such information is from sharing such experiences, which is why I chose to attend the function attended every year by more than 500 state delegates. I learnt that my opinion was prejudiced and that I should respect all people regardless of who they are. Conclusion The events at the transgender centre gave me an opportunity to gain personal opinions on people the transgender community and the challenges they face. According to George, there should be more sensitization of the public on the rights of the transgender community. Part 2: Multi-cultural Interview Introduction For this part of the paper, I carried out an exclusive interview with George to find out more on his perception of social and economic life. The areas of interest spun around life experiences and the interface of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, spirituality, sexual orientation, socio-economic and status with those experiences. Discoveries from the experience helped improve my counselling experience, considering that I had established a rapport with George, the quality of responses he gave were expressions of personal opinions, which represent a section of the viewpoints that other transgender people have on the topics discussed. The Interview What is your perception of race, ethnicity, gender, and spirituality? George responded with vigour, which represents a better part of his understanding of all the topics our talk was supposed to take. He expressed disbelief in race and ethnicity by asserting that such divisions divide the world into units that cause hatred for one another. He noted that there is nothing remarkable in being black, white or Caucasian because we live in the same world (Aldama, Sandoval, & García, 2012). He also notes that at birth, no one has a chance of changing his or her sex, and that implies an individual is born with a defined gender. He further explains that this natural provision denies an individual the fundamental freedom to lead a happy life. “How many people out there are unsatisfied about their sex?” he asks. Therefore, by virtue of choosing to change their gender, transgender people want to exercise happiness. Spirituality is a critical matter according to George. He believes that a religion should to give the believers all the happiness they need. He said that there is nothing special believing in something that does not believe in what you believe. “It is a two-way traffic, religion has to be accommodative of my culture and my beliefs before I believe in it,” he said after in response to the question. He said there is no religion in the world that is supposed to be cruel to its believers. He said he grew up as a Christian, and he had to quit because the religion does not permit being transgender. What Views Do You Hold On Sexuality And Sexual Orientation? Gorge does not care about sexual feelings, which is why he holds a rather parallel opinion on the subject. He dismissed my opinion that all people should have sexual excitement and by being transgender, and he is denied that chance. He sharply criticized the idea and rubbished me off. It comes to a realization that he did not like being a female because many females experience harassment from the male counterparts making him hate the idea of being a female (Aldama, Sandoval, & García, 2012). Does Being Transgender Affect Your Socio-Economic Status? George answered this question by one word, “No!” He said he was determined to gain what he wanted in life. His experience as a female had taught him more lessons about determination. Conclusion George’s experiences led to his choice of being transgender, most significantly because he hated being a female. He holds personal opinions on socio-cultural aspects of life, and he asserts that he spoke to me about views of the transgender community. He feels there should be more protection from the state organs for the rights of transgender. Reference Aldama, A. J., Sandoval, C., & García, P. J. (2012). Performing the U. S Latina and Latino Borderlands. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Read More