Protest / Rally Regarding Sex Change Operations for Minors in Tennessee

In January of this year, a protest at a “Gender Mutilation Rally” was held in Murfreesboro, TN. Prior to this taking place, some people never realized that multiple children in Tennessee underwent surgery in Nashville to change their sex from boy to girl or girl to boy. The rally surrounded a proposed law in the Volunteer State to make it illegal for a juvenile to undergo a sex change operation or to begin hormone therapy to begin the process of changing their sex.

Protestors against the proposed law for children to be allowed to make the decision to change their biological sex suggested it would take away their rights. The ACLU argues hormone therapy or sex change procedures are the only solution to saving some children from suicide – if the child identifies as the opposite sex they were born as and is having identity problems.

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In Tennessee, you have to be 18 to get your ears pierced, get a tattoo or go to a tanning bed… but protestors believe a teenager, or a child has a brain that is developed to the point of being able to decide to forever change their biological sex.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an adolescent brain is not fully developed until the mid to late twenties.

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“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”

— Nelson Mandela

Others at the rally highlighted another proposed law in Tennessee that would not allow for a child or teen to attend a show or event where sex acts are performed before the audience.

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The phone call confirming Stage IV Cancer

Imagine contracting Lime Disease upon your move to Tennessee… possibly from a tick bite. Then, after battling that for a full year imagine a diagnosis of breast cancer that spreads to the bones in your back, your pelvis and even your ribs. That is the life that Cathy Hoag in Murfreesboro has experienced in recent months.

Cathy, who lives in the Barfield area, was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer this past August.

Looking back, after noticing something was not quite right with her breast, she made an appointment with her doctor. The test results of a mammogram appeared normal, but more questions needed to be answered due to the extremely dense tissue that did not allow for a proper diagnosis. So, more testing followed which ended in a single phone call on a sunny afternoon.

It was a call that no one wants. Cathy, a wife, a stay at home mom of two boys ages 7 and 10, plus a home school teacher – heard the phone ring. She answered it and soon found herself in tears while closing the door of her bedroom. Her doctor informed her that she did indeed have cancer. It was soon revealed that the cancer had spread from her breast to her bones and it was given the title of “Stage IV.”

Prior to the diagnosis, Cathy had mammograms annually. But, the start date of the cancer was not fully established. Regardless of when it formed, she is moving forward with treatment at the Cancer Centers of America in Georgia.

A short 12 minute audio interview with Cathy is below:

"Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. You may not be where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be." -Stuart Scott

The GoFundMe page for Cathy is HERE.

Enjoy life, no matter what

Some people say that if you don’t enjoy your job, perhaps you are in the wrong field. I say, if you can’t enjoy life, perhaps you’re in the wrong field.

“Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don't get so worked up about things.”
-  Kenneth Branagh, Northern Irish actor, director

The grave

It has been years since this man has visited the grave of his daughter. With that in mind, he said he needed closure. It was midnight, but that didn't matter to this father who was in pain emotionally. So we took the one hour road trip to visit the grave, not knowing where it was located in the massive Nashville area cemetery. We searched with flash lights, but left two hours later without finding it. 

You may be curious as to why this father did not remember where the grave was located considering he was at the funeral in 2008? The reason is because he is completely blind. He has never seen it, only touched it. 

We returned several days later when the cemetery office was open and in the daylight. With the help of staff, the grave-site was located and this father was able to say his final goodbyes, something that he had wanted to do for over six years. He kneeled next to the grave on the damp grass and slowly rubbed his fingers over her name tracing it back and fourth. It was an awesome sight. 

He left with a smile and a slight tear.