A few months, back my girlfriend and I saw a spectacular play on Broadway known as “Kinky Boots.” The show, as many of you might know, spotlights the life of a young businessman struggling to succeed in a world full of opportunity -- yet covered in distress. With the help of his soon-to-be partner-in-crime (not literally), he finds a new path full of prosperity. His path involves a few proud transgenders and many men and women who watched him grow up. The businessman, Charlie, turns the company around thanks to his new kinky invention, the steel-filled heel. The play could not have been more comical, dramatic, and insightful, all while still providing a lesson unforgettable to all.
I walked into the theater that evening knowing absolutely nothing about the show; my girlfriend had not mentioned what it was about, for she knew how I felt about people who chose to change genders (or "gender fluidity," as many now say). But the odd thing was that when the lights went dim and production began, only one particular feeling surged through my body: shame. My whole life, I loved believing the choices those particular men and women made were wrong and against my faith. The 'Kinky Boots' cast performed in a way that left me at a loss for words; the proud transgenders did not (as I had expected) ruin the show, but rather, they brought it to life. The performance provided great insight into the idea that we all seek happiness and the ways by which we attain that happiness should not take away from our hopes and ambitions. One of the other leads, Lola, did so much more than act. Lola told a message that I now proudly carry with me, and I hope that everyone else in that theater carries it with them too. Lola showed us that no matter what race we were born into, what gender we identify as, or what choices we make, success and happiness are both deserved by every human that walks this earth. Before the dynamic production, my brothers and I all were raised in one way: through faith. In faith, we learned what the heavenly Father had planned for us and we carried out our lives in hopes of never straying the path that he designed. What 'Kinky Boots' taught me is that our lives should not be determined by words such as “men and women,” but rather by “sons and daughters.”
Through our faith and through our days, weeks, and years on earth, we all search for the same happiness and relief. With this in mind, please ask yourself this: Who are we to shut the door on each other? Would you stop giving insulin to a diabetic? Would you stop providing antidepressants to a depressed man or woman? The answer is no. In no way, shape, or form am I saying that these gender-fluid persons are 'sick,' but rather that they are in need of our help so they may carry out their own happy and thriving lives. Maybe the production only told the story with the hope of earning some profit, but the effect it had on its audience is one much more worthy and valuable than any profit imaginable.
