Milford chronicle., 1939-12-22
JACKSON WAS NOT BORN QUEER
Janette Stevenson Murray

Jdnelle stevenson murray
Fred jackson had lost his position
again. He had been clerking in i
clothing store and just before that
had been selling autos. He had a
way of drifting from one thing to
another. never holding any position
long. He was intelligent and did his
work satisfactorily. but he could not
get along with people. His friends
said. We'll. Fred is just bit queer
you know"
He had no inclination toward crime
as often happens with people who
find themselves. at odds with the
world; his danger was drifting into
some form of nervousness or melan-
Cholia.
At this juneture. a former college
friend persuaded Jackson to see a
Isychiatrist. to try TO learn the
cause Ol his trouble. Tracing back
ward, this specialist found Jackson
had been considered queer and oftish
in college. ia high school and all
through the grades. These same
characteristics had been noticeable,
also. in his home life. down through
all the different age periods. to the
time when he was mere toddler.
There il appeared. the trouble had
started
When Fred was two years old.
unwise behavior ON the part of the
adults in the family had caused the
coming of baby brother to he TO
him real tragedy. A jealousy had
developed that had been fatal to his
success and happiness.
How could a childish jealousy have
warped this mans life?
Because of generations of family
solidarity. it is natural for a child to
welcome whOleheartedly new bro
ther or sister. In Fred's case. how
ever. this natural tendency was ruth
lessly destroyed by other members
OF the family.
There were number Of unmar
ried aunts and uncles They talked
about Fred's nose being out of
joint. pretended not to See him and
lavished attention upon Baby Ned.
Fred soon began To resent this. Then
his beloved father joined in with the
others. Young and thOughtless. he
found il amusing, every day when
he came from work, to tease Fred by
petting the baby.
They gave the baby Freds own
white bed So at every chance he
could get. Fred slipped into the
room and pulled the blankets OFF the
baby. slyly pinched him or sRatched
the bottle out Of his mouth. He liked
to hear the baby cry. Having to be
constantly watched made Fred real
problem, and in her yexation. Mother
punished him repeatedly.
With so much scolding and punish
ing. Fred became still more unhappy.
Mother talked about his bad DISPOSE
tiOn. so different from that of his
brother. Ned was better looking
and quicker 10 learn. so. all in all.
his parents became very partial To
him. They were constantly cOmpar-
ing the boys. telling Fred he ought
TO get as good grades as Ned and
pointing out how popular the latter
was. A child usually lives up TO his
parents estimate. SO Fred became
Gisagreeable. reyengeful and sullen.
drawing within himself more and
more as lie met WIFI utltutI sym
pathy nor understanding.
The psychiatrist soon won Fred's
confidence. and he poured out all his
rebellion against parental partiality.
pent up through the years. Talking
il over was great relief indeed. in
the telling. much of the trouble van
ished
The psychiatrist talked with Fred's
parents and brother They were dis
tlessed and took an entirely new
attitude toward him. IL was decided
that they must help him to gain a
better evaluation in the neighbOr- /.
hood and among family friends. I'm
oStentatiOus efforts were made to
bring him out and above all TO make /
him happy. They said nice things /!
about him. entertained people who (
might become his friends and tried /
to have him appear at his best Ned /
even arranged some double dates.
Before long Fred was fortunate in
securing an office job which was /
more to his liking and better suited .
to bis ability than selling. Within
six months. he had earned promo /
tiOn and seems now on the road to /
becoming a well-balanced man. The /
wounds are healing. but how un-
necessary they were! And the scars
will they ever entirely disappear?
SAND HILL