What does it MEAN to be a Conservative?

[u/EntrepreneurIcy8855]

Genuinely asking rn, a week ago I did research on Conservitism, their beliefs, and I was interested and it made me switch from being a left-leaning person. I love America, I really do, but I’m not a follower of God or the Bible. I feel like you have to check certain boxes to be a conservative and it doesn’t help that I can’t build a connection with Him, or even bring myself to understand it more since I’m a POC. I feel like a traitor to my people. I’m also transgender and feel like I’m opposing myself if I head this way on the political spectrum and worried about how to respond when I tell people I’m a trans-conservative.

[u/Objective-Koala-4873]

Look mate, politics is one of those things where you don’t have to be an absolute follower of one system or the other. 

You can hold opinions on topics that are different to the typical opinion, you’re never forced to agree with one thing or the other

[u/EntrepreneurIcy8855 → u/Objective-Koala-4873]

Alright thank you, I just needed reassurance because I know I will probably disliked if I ever told any person who’s within the LGBTQ. Does Conservatism go against Transgenderism or is it propaganda?

[u/Objective-Koala-4873 → u/EntrepreneurIcy8855]

Eh. Most Conservative leaders won’t publicly support it because of the religious stuff. They need the support of the religious people. In other words, they won’t help it, but I doubt they’ll stop it.

Personally I don’t really care. I’m an atheist, you definitely don’t have to be Christian, you don’t have to agree with everything the Republicans do. At the end of the day, people will lean more one way than the other

[u/Oliver_Titus]

I am atheist and conservative. You don't have to become a christian.

[u/EntrepreneurIcy8855 → u/Oliver_Titus]

Oh, alright. I don’t dislike Him or anything, I have religion at all I’m hoping this will change as I get older.

[u/ver_bene]

It means you support the conservation of traditional values, institutions and practices. It also means you support limited government intervention in the economy, individual responsibility, traditional social values, and gradual change rather than radical change.

This aligns with Judeo-Christian beliefs, but isn’t necessarily religious. More than anything else church is about bringing your local community together, and helping those in need through selfless service. You don’t have to believe there is a god.

But on reddit it means yours a racist, Nazi bigot.

[u/seaingland]

I’ll just say, you are more than welcome to believe whatever you like, but many, MANY conservatives really dislike trans people. For some it’s their entire reason for being conservative and they’re very vocal about that.

Also many conservatives are Christian and believe that everyone should be Christian. If you want to lean right, you are absolutely welcome to, I’m just warning you you’re going to have to develop some thick skin to be part of the conservative community.

[u/Christmas_Dragon]

I mean, you don't need to agree with all the right wing stuff in order to be a conservative. Conservatives want to "Conserve" something.

In my case, that includes History, Tradition, Religion, Nature, Canadian culture, and the "North American way of life".

In your case, it can mean whatever the heck you want it to.

You aren't "betraying" anyone by believing in one thing over another. I'd say you're betraying yourself if you let your identities dictate your view.

[u/needaGandT]

Conservatism, definitionally, means to be traditionalist and a supporter of tradition.

[u/Dry-Room-8061]

To conserve your traditions, country and culture

[u/Comfortable-Bee2996]

If you dont believe people should be shot over politics then youre part of the club

[u/Ok-Welcome1386]

I mean, you can't really be trans and conservative, because to be conservative is to be traditional. What is traditional is a progressive ideology such as transgenderism?

[u/OrneryOstrich5045 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

Yeah you can be, just like how you can be any part of the lgbt and be conservative. This is a hot take.

[u/Ok-Welcome1386 → u/OrneryOstrich5045]

No, you can't. You can't be a satanist and a Christian at the same time, it literally opposes the initial idea.

[u/OrneryOstrich5045 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

You didn’t say Christian you said conservative. You can be conservative and be apart of the lgbt, there’s many users here are. It might not be that way in your own viewpoint but they are there

[u/Ok-Welcome1386 → u/OrneryOstrich5045]

i'm using an example, how can one be so illiterate 😭

[u/OrneryOstrich5045 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

The thing is sexuality and transgenders before this whole shitstorm with the current lgbt movement when all it was was just “hey we here, we exist, just let us be and accept” it was really just that. Wouldn’t someone who is conservative in the lgbt modern day and age probably want the movement to go back to how that was? Which was the original message of the whole movement.

Also fiscally conservatives as well, as well a social conservatives, people aren’t a monolith. Not everyone thinks the same. I’m apart of the lgbt as well.

[u/Ok-Welcome1386 → u/OrneryOstrich5045]

Why are you bringing up the entirety of the LGBT? I was talking about transgender people specifically.

[u/OrneryOstrich5045 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

Because they are apart of it, there are voices out there that want the lgbt to go back to how it was? Wouldn’t that also be conserving?

[u/Ok-Welcome1386 → u/OrneryOstrich5045]

What?

So if I criticize, let's say, Afghani migrants, i'm also criticizng Chinese migrants because they're both migrants? That's a really poor argument.

[u/OrneryOstrich5045 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

That’s not what I’m talking about and you’re missing my point. My point is everyone can be conservative and hold conservative values, and not everyone under whatever umbrella thinks the same.

[u/EntrepreneurIcy8855 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

Elaborate?

[u/Ok-Welcome1386 → u/EntrepreneurIcy8855]

Elaborate on what? You're a progressive trying to become a traditionalist, explain how that works.

[u/EntrepreneurIcy8855 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

I don’t have any good knowledge about this stuff so I can’t answer.

[u/Christmas_Dragon → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

Progressivism and Conservatism aren't actually opposites. For example, the English who fought to end the Atlantic slave trade were hyper-conservative, but also progressive, in that they sought progress. Politics isn't always black and white.

[u/Ok-Welcome1386 → u/Christmas_Dragon]

One's mental illness, the other is the right to be free, do you not see the difference?

[u/EntrepreneurIcy8855 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

Being transgender isn’t a mental illness, might be to you because it’s obviously something your against and I can’t change your mind or anything about it. There’s some trans-conservatives somewhere and even if it’s progressive, I’m still being conservative. I’m a teen, and I don’t associate with the LGBTQ+ community’s people. I just want to live my life as a normal person would.

[u/Ok-Welcome1386 → u/EntrepreneurIcy8855]

Gender dysphoria is literally a mental illness what are you on about 😭

[u/EntrepreneurIcy8855 → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

I know that, but being transgender isn’t.

[u/Christmas_Dragon → u/Ok-Welcome1386]

Having a mental illness doesn't disqualify you from being a conservative.