“The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.”- Socrates

As I sat in the Gender and Sexuality Center last Friday waiting for class, the topic of conversation turned to food. At least two of my fellow classmates are vegetarians, they were explaining to the rest of us how they came to their beliefs. As the gory details about the abuse of animals poured out of Jillesa’s mouth, I covered my ears, shook my head, and said “Eww stop! Ignorance is bliss. I don’t want to know what I put in my mouth. Just let me live in my little happy bubble.”

I didn’t want to have that bubble burst with those horrifying facts. Let me walk through life believing the world isn’t THAT bad. If only life was that easy…

Peers for Pride has been the needle that burst my bubble of life in another way. Now everywhere I look I see posters that exude the opposition of gender neutrality; posters of opposite sex couples, always of the same race holding hands, posters that depict little girls and little boys following their gender roles to a T. My wine glass turned “pimp” glass is pink because I’m a girl, I’m supposed to love pink. My apartment has posters all over it with Audrey Hepburn and other signs of femininity screaming from of them.

Two years ago, before I moved away from my small hometown, I wouldn’t have noticed these things. I would be walking around with my bubble cushioning my every step. What I realized as I walked out of the GSC last Friday morning is that ignorance isn’t bliss. This class, our monologues, our facilitations, needs to be the needle that pops everyone out of their bubble or at the very least, begins to squeeze the cozy cushion so many people still live in.

Walking home from class today, a young lady was walking into her dorm toting a bag full of wonderful goodies. If only she knew that her waffle fries and chicken sandwich helped fund organizations that are openly and proudly anti-gay.

Every Friday morning for 3 hours I’m surrounded by the most amazing and inspiring bubble poppers in our class, but when I walk away I go back into the real world with real people full of hate and ignorance.

So here’s to another semester of gaining the knowledge and strength to pop those bubbles!