“Tootsie” is one of my all-time favorite movies. It is one of the few comedies which also carries with it some profound lessons about how we view, and treat, one another. But perhaps the most lasting lesson was the one that Dustin Hoffman learned about himself, as he explains in this recent interview.
One of the things I cherish most about my practice is the incredible diversity of my clientele. It is easy to make immediate and off-hand generalizations about people based on their appearance, but I find that those stereotypes quickly get swept away as I get to know my clients, and as they get to know me.
If you haven’t seen “Tootsie,” put it on your “to-do” list. It hasn’t aged in the 30 years since it was released. And let Dustin Hoffman’s lesson be ours: there are too many interesting people in the world to whom you might not otherwise let yourself get close because of preconceived notions you may have about outward appearances.