The Spark of Change
I watched Blackfish recently on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it, Blackfish details the capture and captivity of orcas in amusement parks, like the ones owned by SeaWorld. The scenes of a female orca crying for her young calf that was taken from her and brought to a new park was heartrending. Also touching was the tributes to the young trainers who had been killed by the orcas they trained for circus-like amusement park routines.
The film sparked a strong emotional reaction from the viewing public when it was released in 2013. SeaWorld was forced to change how they keep their orcas. They are phasing out their circus acts and ending the practice of keeping their orcas in little swimming pools. Nor are they acquiring or breeding any more orcas for their collection.
The power of this film to quickly change public opinion on this issue is inspiring. Other changes are coming hard and fast in our society. Things that were once unthinkable are coming to pass seemingly overnight.
Gay marriage was once inconceivable. It is now the law of the land, and among my daughter’s generation, this is no big deal. Their attitude is “Of course our gay friends should be able to marry.”
Our sympathies are changing towards the transgender community as well. This is an issue that I have had to educate myself on, to overcome my own prejudices and accept friends and family members who have transitioned. At a friend’s recommendation, I read the chapter on transgender people from the book, Far from the Tree. (I also checked out the chapters on autism and musical prodigies.) The book is heavy and dense with facts, but the case studies were fascinating.
I have also enjoyed watching the television show, I am Jazz, on TLC. It features a cute kid who seems very much like a normal teenage girl, but who was born a boy. Conservatives may squirm, but TV programmers are quick to sense changes in moods and fashions, and to jump on the latest trend. It was simply time for a show like this.
Another book on my list, one that I haven’t read yet, is Beyond Magenta, about transgender teens. I can always learn more; there is always room to become a better person. It is the power of art, in all its forms, to portray people and issues that the society as a whole might otherwise ignore, to put a human face to something once considered monstrous and shameful.
That’s why I write. Sure, I’d like this to be my day job and make some decent money. (I don’t need J.K. Rowling money, mind. I’d settle for a lot less.) But, my goal is to impact society in meaningful ways through my stories. That’s what pushes me back to the keyboard every night. Our society is in flux, and I want to be part of changing things for the better.
The film sparked a strong emotional reaction from the viewing public when it was released in 2013. SeaWorld was forced to change how they keep their orcas. They are phasing out their circus acts and ending the practice of keeping their orcas in little swimming pools. Nor are they acquiring or breeding any more orcas for their collection.
The power of this film to quickly change public opinion on this issue is inspiring. Other changes are coming hard and fast in our society. Things that were once unthinkable are coming to pass seemingly overnight.
Gay marriage was once inconceivable. It is now the law of the land, and among my daughter’s generation, this is no big deal. Their attitude is “Of course our gay friends should be able to marry.”
Our sympathies are changing towards the transgender community as well. This is an issue that I have had to educate myself on, to overcome my own prejudices and accept friends and family members who have transitioned. At a friend’s recommendation, I read the chapter on transgender people from the book, Far from the Tree. (I also checked out the chapters on autism and musical prodigies.) The book is heavy and dense with facts, but the case studies were fascinating.
I have also enjoyed watching the television show, I am Jazz, on TLC. It features a cute kid who seems very much like a normal teenage girl, but who was born a boy. Conservatives may squirm, but TV programmers are quick to sense changes in moods and fashions, and to jump on the latest trend. It was simply time for a show like this.
Another book on my list, one that I haven’t read yet, is Beyond Magenta, about transgender teens. I can always learn more; there is always room to become a better person. It is the power of art, in all its forms, to portray people and issues that the society as a whole might otherwise ignore, to put a human face to something once considered monstrous and shameful.
That’s why I write. Sure, I’d like this to be my day job and make some decent money. (I don’t need J.K. Rowling money, mind. I’d settle for a lot less.) But, my goal is to impact society in meaningful ways through my stories. That’s what pushes me back to the keyboard every night. Our society is in flux, and I want to be part of changing things for the better.
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