I positioned myself here, but the impact it’s had on a segment of the Hutterite society is overwhelming me.
Over 10 Hutterites have come out to me as Gay in the past two months, taking my list of gay Hutterites to over two dozen. My first reaction was, “well of course it would happen” being essentially the only publicly ‘out’ Hutterite. But what surprises me, for most, I’m the first one they’ve ever told.
Now I’m no expert, but I sense a need for a support community. A community that I would have greatly appreciated when I was still living on the colony. Simply someone that could have educated me on what it means to be gay, telling me it’s all right and not a ‘phase’. I was a wide-eyed spring chicken the time I first embarked upon the ‘outside world” and have learned a lot from my friends.
If you’ve been watching anything I post relating to gay and Hutterites, you will know the amount of bashing and bullying directed my was is gross. And nobody should have to endure that over something they can’t change. As much as I’d like to see someone brave enough to come out while still living on the colony, I know it would be enough to make even the strongest people loose their mind.
They’d be treated as a second rate human. And that’s not right.
I wish that just like the recent introduction of sex-ed, the Hutterite school system would touch on diversity education. It would give the young gay students a twinge of hope and perhaps give them the courage to approach the teacher and trust them with a secret.
I’m not sure about anything; I just know it could be a lot better.
What are your thoughts? How could the Hutterite community become more inclusive while still staying somewhat true to it's beliefs? And yes, I do believe that is possible.
