By Brenda . . . It has often been said that until we can start changing the public’s perception of what “sex offender” means, we have an uphill battle. The best way to do that is to help folks encounter people who are living with public registration and see that they are ordinary, even EXTRA-ordinary, human beings.
This is the motive behind Humans On the Registry.
Lawmakers and policy makers all across the country hear only the fear-mongering stories about monsters, predators, and bogey-men. They find little reason to question the many false assumptions brought to them by their constituents. And their constituents are of course just as frightened, for all the wrong reasons.
But meeting just ONE person, one genuine, decent human being who happens to be on a public registry, can plant a seed of doubt — a thought that maybe those assumptions are wrong. And if more and more persons step forward with a story, those seeds will grow and a new story will replace the false ones.
The public needs to hear stories from registrants from all walks of life, sharing the things that bring them joy, fill them with pride, and make them glad they are alive. Yes, there is a time from your past that gave you a label you’d like to shake, but you have found a way forward now, in spite of the over-reaching laws that try to keep you down.
Come share that story on Humans on the Registry — https://humans.narsol.org
Help us break those stereotypes and put a human face on this difficult issue.
Brenda is NARSOL’s executive director. She is also the layout editor for the Digest, serves as affiliate coordinator for our affiliates, contacts, and advocates, and oversees special projects such as Fearless, the state WIKI, and Humans on the Registry.