There are many reasons why growing up in a small town are great. The intimate setting allows a family to grow without too much outside influence or crime which creates a safe, loving environment. One thing that parents loved and kids hated about the small town atmosphere was that if you did something you were not supposed to do, your parents would know before you came home. For myself, there was never an opportunity to lie or get away with something since they had probably already heard about it through the grapevine. I was raised in a very conservative setting in which we had Christian teachings and morals applied since the day I was born. There was no real way of knowing anything different, as most people in the town had the same views (at least my friends did) and being a part of a farming community, the non-government standpoint was always the norm.
After 18 years of living in that small town, I was accepted to Sonoma State’s Communications and Liberal Studies department and I couldn’t have been happier. Though, in the back of my mind there was always a place where I held my conservative roots closely. The first year was by far the hardest. I had liberal professors explaining evolution, theories, current events, all in a way I was raised to think differently about. The scariest part? I was beginning to agree with them.
The books we were reading outlined gender, environment, and politics in a way I knew my parents would not agree with. I began to cringe at the sound of derogatory terms such as “gay” which growing up was a normal term as there was not much acceptance for gay or trans* conversation at our school. I also began to stop drinking water bottles as my class began to show where they ended up and how it was affecting our world. This was not taken lightly and instead was ridiculed and questioned, even on Facebook. My conversations at home could not be about politics nor could I tell them what I was exploring in my LIBS classes as most things were viewed differently from my family’s point of view. It began to get hard listening to political conversations and knowing I had to bite my tongue.
This did not surprise me at all, though something major happened that did: we began discussing. My parents and I discussed gay marriage and the different versions of trans*. My mother asked how to approach a trans* man or woman and how to appropriately call them by their name. We both began to grow into better, more understanding people. I was able to tell her about what I had learned and explored through the books I had read. This understanding was greatly appreciated on my end and I still have so much more to share.
I must thank this three year transition for a better understanding of acceptance. It makes it easier to understand multiple viewpoints since I have been exposed to each side of the spectrum. I still tread lightly with political discussions, though I welcome discussions to understand why someone believes a certain way.
Now, I am actually not a democrat, nor a liberal. Technically speaking, I am a registered Republican (though this election I will most likely be voting Democratic). One of the greatest things about this country is that my mixed conservative/liberal mindset can be molded in so many different ways. I still love my family and the way I was raised and I still have plenty of conservative standpoints. Our conversations have developed into discussions which I so heavily value. I appreciate my family as I go through this transition to find who I am in this world, and I want others to know my story and know that it will all be okay in the end. Family is family no matter who you vote for, and growing up in a certain mindset will just make you such a better person when you are able to see both sides.