Once Again, My Roots Are Showing

[qos]

This is directly related to the post I just made about pseudonyms (although interestingly enough, that word never appears in that post

Comments

[sharpchick]

I think part of your dad's relief is grounded in generational attitudes. . . a notion that everyone should get into their "place" and stay there.

[qos]

I think it's more an "Us/Them" issue, with "Us" being "respectable, normal, safe" people, and "Them" being disruptive, unreliable, and of questionable ethics.

He has become *much* more open-minded as he's aged, but he still has a very strong sense that a middle-ground, middle-class, conventional public face is essential to social and career success.

[9thmoon]

I always try to attribute the best intentions to people I don't know. Maybe he is relieved to see your daughter becoming more "normal" because he doesn't want her to have to go through the painful process of finding herself in a world where unique individuals aren't really welcome, the way that you did?

[qos]

I certainly give him credit for the best of intentions, including a sincere desire to prevent Wolfling from being hurt.

However, I don't think he has the slightest idea how painful my own process has been. I took his lessons to heart at an early age and carefully concealed virtually all of the elements within myself which were non-conformist.