Let me tell you a story. A story about a little boy - we'll call him M - skinny, blond, a couple days younger than my 8yo Abby (although he was an under-2lb preemie and they weren't sure he would make it), and Abby's best-friend-who-is-a-boy from their 3rd through 6th years of life. We've been to their place for play-dates, and they've been to ours. We rarely make it to each others' birthday parties, because in all cases but one they have been scheduled for the same day. We don't see them as often as we'd like, although the two kids attend the same school. This little boy has a sweet, equally blond little sister, and great parents who seem to really be invested in their kids, have good jobs, and have lived in their house for years.
And today this little boy was summarily rejected by a little girl in their neighborhood because her mother "hates him and his family". Because both of these parents happen to be men. It's not the little girl's fault; she doesn't know any better, and shame on her mother for letting - or even encouraging - a child do her dirty work. But really, you can't let your child play with another child because his parents are both men? Do you think it's catching? Or is your squick factor/religious belief about homosexuality so strong that you are willing to disappoint and hurt innocent children?
I don't often get political; I have strong opinions but I'm also cynical enough to be aware that yelling my opinion isn't going to change anyone's mind. And I'm also fully aware that not everyone in my audience will agree with me, and I may even lose some facebook friends over it if they're reading. But this is important. This one did not only affect grown adults who can take care of themselves. This one affected an 8yo child and probably will affect his little sister. And all because some people believe that sexuality defines people all by itself. Never mind that these men are productive citizens, good parents, and decent people with hopes and dreams and loves and fears. The attitude seems to be "they sleep with other men. My religion/belief system/personal squick factor says that therefore they are evil and their children are too".
But y'know what? That attitude SUCKS, and I call bullshit.
Go Jenn!!
ReplyDeletethe thing that amazes me the most is this woman - this "mother" would likely raise the holiest of hell should someone have done the same to her "precious little girl"
ReplyDeleteSadly this is probably just the first time of many that these kids will have to face prejudice because of who their parents are. It's disgusting. It's wrong. And shame on the mother for teaching her daughter that. Love is love. I hate that children sometimes pay the price when it comes to stupid ignorant people like this.
ReplyDeleteTruth is, while the situation is terrible, it's probably best he DOESN'T spend any time with that particular little girl anymore - she'll only spout hatred and ignorance at him, and that does nothing good for anyone.
ReplyDeleteAGHHH the whole thing just makes me so mad! Including the hypocritical "love the sinner hate the sin" crap people always feel a need to say in response to situations like this. It's so (amazing + depressing =)deprazing how much religion f*cks people up.
It certainly can, but it doesn't have to. I know just as many loving and forgiving Christians as I do holier-than-thou ones. The good ones, however, often have that other Christian virtue known as humility... so they're a lot quieter; the loud and obnoxious ones are hypocritical in that they are prideful about their faith
ReplyDeleteA generation or so ago, the same thing would have happened to children born to single mothers. Think of the song "Love Child" by Diana Ross and the Supremes. And there was an episode of the Waltons where their neighbor Cora Beth wouldn't let her daughter play with the daughter of a single mother. Like that was the child's fault. And Carrie's right. If that's the mother's attitude, the boy is better off.
ReplyDeleteMy hope is that Raya is correct and that in a generation this particular form of prejudice will be obsolete. But when mothers like that one carefully teach their children hatred and bias, I despair. I'm sorry that young boy was hurt in the process. I do hope your local schools have an anti-bullying project that would address issues like this.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, not all Christians, or members of any other religion, think the way this mother does.
I'm a christian and I think the very same that you do. Even if you believe something is wrong-I'm not sure where I stand on the subject, but I know people are more than who they are attracted to- it's still wrong to disrespect someone else's opinion, especially when it dominoes like that and hurts an innocent bystander, like a child.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input, Pixie. That's the key, isn't it? That people are more than just their sexuality.
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