Against “Be Kind”

To my relatives who enable and celebrate my trans-identifying son and who have avoided me for years now:

I see your “Be Kind” posts on Facebook. The posts with a rainbow flag and other virtue signaling self-congratulating mottos and memes.

I see your posts of kitschy signs that say things like, “All I care about is your good intentions”. I guess you have forgotten the part about the road to Hell being paved with good intentions.

I see your photos posted of the wedding that you did not invite me to or even tell me about.

I see my estranged trans-identified son looking anxious and silent, covering his face with his long hair.

I can see how ill he looks from far away. It breaks my heart that he has cut off contact with us, his parents who love him and want him to be strong.

But you, dear relatives, can see only how Virtuous and Woke you are, what a Good Person you are for Being Kind. Because you have such Good Intentions.

You call my son by a female name. You pretend he is a girl, a woman, and tell him how brave he is. You express sympathy and tell him what awful parents he has.

My son is responsible for his mistakes; he chose to proceed with the trans-identification and medical transition. But it didn’t help that you embraced the opportunity to show how Nice and Considerate you are by celebrating his poor thinking and decline.

You see, you are so Kind. You gather ill people like my son around you because they make you look so Special and Caring.

When my son was younger, before the trans-identification, you had little interest in him. Why would you? What is interesting about a smart, strong, successful young man who does not require your Kindness to succeed.

So much better for you to have the opportunity to Be Kind.