4 Quotes by Rita M. Gross

If one does not make an ego out of gender, one would still know whether one is a man or a woman, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender—whatever else we may think of. But those identities need to fit very loosely and be worn very lightly. All sense of privilege or deprivation that has developed around one’s gender identity, all rigidity regarding proper roles and behaviors for the various genders, must be cut through.

If one does not make an ego out of gender, one would still know whether one is a man or a woman, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender – whatever else we may think of. But those identities need to fit very loosely and be worn very lightly. All sense of privilege or deprivation that has developed around one’s gender identity, all rigidity regarding proper roles and behaviors for the various genders, must be cut through.

Regardless of how one may feel about specific doctrines of other faith traditions, this fact alone – their service to millions of fellow human beings – makes them worthy of our deep respect. Their profound benefit to others is really the ultimate reason each of us, believers and non-believers alike, must accord deep respect to the world’s great faith traditions.

Feeling called or needing to change people or situations “for their own good” is often quite aggressive and self-centered. Furthermore, in a world characterized by multiple diversities, the greatest compassion of all is to stop interfering so much with others, to stop claiming to know what everyone else should do and think, and to let them be who they are, just as we want to continue being who we are without exclusivists badgering us to imitate them.