Social exclusion is a form of bullying and it is condoned by churches in our area. I talked to one of my son's former scout leaders about bullying in our schools. She said it is true that there is a bullying problem here but it is that way everywhere and nothing can be done about it. She grew up in a small town and she was a bully for several years until she became a Christian. When I mentioned the Bully documentary that included a girl who was shunned along with her family for being gay she didn't say anything against it. Social exclusion is practiced by church members against people who are different from them in their thinking or actions.

There is no diversity here. Almost everyone is white. Almost everyone goes to church every Sunday and the football games during football season. Almost everyone loves football. They think you are weird or gay if you can't or won't talk sports. My son and I don't want to talk about sports. I think they make people who are different from them so uncomfortable that they move away. We can't move for family reasons.

I talked to the scout leader about the perception here that all boys in musical theater are gay. She didn't deny that either.

I told her that my son can't do much in the brace and there was no way he could do the hiking or camping so he didn't have a choice but to quit. There was no mention of trying to accommodate his disabilities so that he could at least be around other kids at their meetings. Social exclusion exists in scouting here too.

I don't think anyone will see the documentary. I think they like things just the way they are. My dad said the bullying problem here is similar to what people go through when they are put in prison. They have to find a way to deal with bullies there. I told him it was strange that he should say that because that is what his grandson said it felt like living here--a prison.

My daughter says our family is just like the rest of the community and very judgmental and instead of having Easter dinner with them, she took her little brother to a fast food restaurant. She doesn't think he should have to deal with them and my husband agreed. He enjoyed Easter for the first time in years. He didn't have to deal with the small town football player cousins that ignore him. He really wanted someone to talk to. He didn't want to be stuck with just reading things on his iPhone to get through the monotony of all the sports conversation.

My daughter finally told her boyfriend about our family and why she doesn't want to be around them and he understood.