A certain individual can have many “Labels” attached to themselves in their lifetimes.  One that is always forced upon them is the one resulting from having to register.  As of the year 2010, there are about 18,000. Californians that are forced to register.  Some were involved in drug trafficking, 3,500 in California's central valley are involved in some kind of sex crime, most of them with the “Label” of predator.  The registration is for a lifetime.

There are some individuals who have turned their lives around, recovered, and are giving to their local communities.  One in particular in the very middle of California has transitioned into a completely different person.  Growing up being brainwashed into thinking that they were one gender when actually they were another.  Desperately trying to conform to what society was telling them that they had to be; how to act, behave, do, and be.
It began with an arrest in 1996 for an incident that was supposed to have happened in the spring/summer of 1995.  In 1998 a plea was entered in Superior Court (based upon the information that was sparsely available at the time) of one count of 'wrongful touching'.  The judge explained that any and all court actions required the defender to register.  The judge had no discretion at all, it would be automatic.  In 2004 all restrictions, limitations, and requirements were done with and left behind (except to register each year).
The “Label” still persists and was/is forced upon the present person from the former person.  Requirements to remove the internet listing is ten (10) years and over $25,000.00 in lawyers fees.

There has been a complete turn around of one’s life.  A different person is now here.  The old person is long gone and far away.  Serious transition was begun in 2001 and is 99% physically complete; the rest was completed after only a few years.  Much more than mere words are the included actions of multiple years worth of efforts to show and to prove the how, what, when, where, and why of the different person.
People that allow knee-jerk reactions find a scapegoat to pigeon-hole into a “Label”; reacting to a label results in out-right, complete, total rejection, replacing options of  accommodation, alternatives, mitigation, concessions, consideration, cooperation, and working with and around a problem issue.
The results are mistakes that can not be or do not want to be corrected and damages that need repair.  Years worth of action efforts have been set back by years.
The “Labeled” person has a history that can be identified and accounted/accommodated for.  The new person just arriving has no identifiable anything about them and are complete unknowns.  The “Labeled” person is a valuable resource of experience that is unused/underused.
Where are the adults that are supposed to be responsible?  Neglect is a criminal felony!  Is it o.k. to allow criminals and not the “Label”?
The author of this article can be reached through racheljoy6@hotmail.com.