Banned.

It seems that in today’s culture, you can choose to identify as a variety of thing. You can pick the gender you wish to identify as and, according to therians and otherkins, you can even pick your species.

However, it would appear that you can’t choose to identify as blind when you can actually see.

Last month, Shahana Hajiyeva, a member of the Azerbaijani Paralympic team, who won Gold in the 2024 Paralympics, failed her medical test by passing it.

Hajiyeva failed the medical classification test she was required to take as a partially sighted judoka before her most recent competition. The conclusion of the test was that she had no applicable vision limitations, which led to her being banned for life in her original category.

I can see where a sighted judoka would have a definitive advantage over a competitor with limited vision.

Another area where you can’t simply self-identify is Christianity. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms that there are certain ways that our identities as Christians will be confirmed. First by others, but more importantly by God.

The first is by the way we love one another, and the second is by the way we obey the teachings of Christ.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, attempt the impossible.