I just had such a great moment with my friend who happens to be a mom with a husband and adorable little boy. She sent me a picture of her little boy at daycare. Her son was being held by a gay man who works at the day care. I’m assuming he is a teacher or teacher’s assistant. The point of the conversation was for my friend to show me how much her son loves this particular member of the daycare team.
The conversation warmed my heart because there are many people out there that would say “I don’t want a gay man taking care of my little boy at daycare”. That is sadly the reality of the world we live in. My friend went on to tell me that there have been parents who have actually complained. To respect the privacy of my friend, I won’t say which state we are talking about here but let’s just say it isn’t Texas.
This is just one small example of the difference you can make in a child’s life. Our opinions, the way we talk and the actions we take shape the world our children live in. Imagine for a moment if you happen to be a gay child growing up and you heard your parents spewing anti-gay propaganda. What does that do to you? I sadly know all too well what that does to someone and I can tell you it’s not fun. It’s very easy for people to say “well…I didn’t know any better”. I disagree. As an adult and as a parent, it’s your job to know better.
The same can be said for any bigoted comment regarding any group (race, religion, etc.). It isn’t just a “gay” issue. That said, this example came up and I wanted to share. I am so proud of my friend. I am so happy there are people like this in the world. We need more people that “get it”. Please help do your part.