My Opinion

I saw the movie "Frozen" the day after Valentine's Day, with some of my family in the Seattle area. Some of my Facebook friends recommended it and my nieces were looking forward to seeing the movie. As the show ended, I realized it wasn't the typical Disney re-telling of a fairy tell. For one, the usual Prince and Princess did not live happily ever after ending didn't happen, even though there was the usual romance. Even though the movie involved royalty, It was about sisters and the love that binds them. I enjoyed the movie and decided it was worth seeing again.
A week later, I was reading one of my favorite columnist from the Salt Lake Tribune, Robert Kirby. Apparently, he didn't realize that there was a gay agenda in the books he read during his childhood. Apparently "Frozen" had a hidden agenda, according Sister* Skaggs. What he wrote got me curious, so during lunch one day, I googled Well Behaved Mormon Woman. I didn't have time to read the blog, so when I came home that evening, I read it. Her blog post was very long. As I was reading it, I thought this woman was reading things into the movie that were just not there. I thought of Elsa as a very lonely person, not a lesbian because the movie did not provide a love interest for her.  Does Sister Skaggs think I am a lesbian because I'm a middle aged single adult who has never married or had children? That hurt, but I know there are small minded people in the world. I thought of message I gathered from the film. To me, it was about forgiveness, but mostly letting love heal our and other's brokenness.
As I thought of it more, I thought of the scripture that my sister's family was memorizing the week I was in the Seattle area. Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."  Elsa had the ability to freeze, which sometimes hurt others. At the end of the movie, Elsa had turned that weakness into a strength. With love, her freezing abilities helped others to experience the joys of winter, even in the summer.
I can see where a gay person would relate to Elsa, but I could also see anyone who faced discrimination or bullying in their life, identifying with Elsa. To me the message of "Frozen" was about letting go and letting love heal us. Let go of things that drag us down, like guilt, like pain, like depression, like low self-esteem, like anger, etc.
"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:34-35

*In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we refer to each other as brother or sister, although it isn't as common as it was in the 1970's. Usually at church, I am called by my first name, unless I am teaching Primary, then I allow myself to be called Sister Jackson.

Letting It Go

As I put away the coat I wore this winter, I remembered the pains I associated with it. I received the coat in January 2002 in preparation of participating as a volunteer in the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. During the next month, I wore the coat faithfully as I served in the games, which was only when I was volunteering. (And going to and from the venue that I volunteered at.) After the games were over I was free to wear it whenever and wherever I wanted. To church, shopping, to the library, traveling, to work.

But I never really wore it work, unless it was a Saturday. I took it home once to Idaho, so I could wash it, but the coat mostly hung in my closet in my closet for the next 12 years. I didn't feel worthy to wear it. I associated my Olympic coat with being a team player, something I was told by a boss that I wasn't, because I had problems getting along with some co-workers. Because I had been one of the longest working employees in my department I was suppose to set an example. It didn't matter if my co-workers were older than me or had more work experience than me. I had to be a flawlessly perfect team player, giving it more than a 110% effort.
After I left employment in that company, I still felt uncomfortable wearing it. I did wear it a time or two at my present job, but because waistline of the coat falls somewhere in my hips, I didn't like wearing while riding the bus. Getting my bus pass out of my pocket that was buried by the coat was awkward. During the past summer I started wearing my bus pass/employee ID on a lanyard around my neck. It was nice not having to reach into my pocket to get my bus pass. When it got cold I pulled out the Olympic coat instead my Eddie Bauer coat that I got at a clearance sale more than a decade ago. I was tired of having a cold breeze go up my back when I got off the bus, even though the coat came to my waist and allowed me use my pants pocket freely. After a week of wearing the Olympic coat, the old feelings of unworthiness came back to haunt me. No, I am still not 110% plus perfect team player in the office. I still have problems getting along with some co-workers. As I walking to the bus after work one day, I told myself that I had earned the right to wear the coat. I had worked three weeks at 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics as a volunteer and the coat was part of my reward. It was past time to let go of guilt.
And so I wore it my Olympic coat the rest of the winter. Unless the thermometer was reading 30 degrees. Then I wore my red University of Utah hoodie. After all, I am a team player.
(I did not wear my Olympic coat during the Sochi Olympics. It was hoodie weather the whole time. Even in Seattle when I wore my LL Bean fleece jacket.)