I read this story about Mr. Beattie in the New York Times. I suppose in the US it had already made big news a while back as Mr. Beattie had apparently appeared on the Oprah show.
I found the article interesting because of the way the issue was handled. It led me to think about the whole gender issue.
I examined my own attitude to the whole sexuality issue and how I might react if one of my children were involved in such a situation. I came to the conclusion that at first an expression of sexuality different from the norm would be difficult to accept. But that, I might, for the love of my child, have accepted their choice, because I felt that the gender and sexuality of a person does not in anyway, reflect on the quality of their character. What I feel are the qualities of a good character (such an old fashioned word I guess) came from other qualities, like an acceptance of all humanity, genuineness, humankindness, charity in thought and deed.
So what do you think?