'I wish my kids would never have to know that there are people who don’t think that our family should exist, but they’ll hear this stuff eventually.' lauraleighabby writes
Photo-Illustration: The Cut; Photos: Getty I first noticed the yard signs while driving my son to T-ball. There were more sprinkled throughout my Hudson Valley neighborhood, and I finally got a good look while idling in an intersection. Christ is King was printed on royal-blue signs outside the grocery store and highway exit ramps, urging passersby to vote for a man running for my local public-school board.
My children are only 5 and 2, so I didn’t really know how to talk to them about this. My oldest was 2 months old when I strapped him to my chest for the Women’s March in 2017, and both of my boys have attended Pride parades and Black Lives Matter protests, but the accompanying conversations have been simple, at best. From the early stages of family planning, Sam and I knew that we would face big conversations. Our boys have heard the word “donor” since they were born.
Mary from Massachusetts, who raised kids with her ex-wife, says that television helped her talk about tough topics. “We watched edgy shows that provoked conversation,” she says. When Mary and her teen kids watched shows like The Fosters, the conflict revealed in each episode opened the door for dialogue about the family’s own lives. “There’s so much good queer programming for kids now, and they deal with these cheesy topics and suddenly you have a tool to talk about this stuff.
Days later, after we attended a family Pride march, I scrolled through Instagram and clicked on Pride hashtags to see how other families were celebrating across the country. That’s how I found John, who lives in Maine with his husband William and their 12-year-old daughter Riley. She looked so confident holding up her homemade “I Love My Two Dads” sign, so I messaged John. I wanted to know if he talked to his daughter about discriminatory legislation.
Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill also came up in family conversation with Jenn and Cara, a same-sex couple raising three kids on Long Island. JP is their oldest at 14, and he has an 11-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister. “Our eldest usually starts these conversations, but the other two listen and contribute,” Jenn says. “With regard to the new Florida law, JP asked what it means. The kids all seem to understand the implications for kids who are coming out or have gay family members.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Decision looms for UA signee Demetrio Crisantes after Diamondbacks pick him in MLB draftThe Nogales High School standout is selected by the D-Backs in the seventh round; plus: Daniel Susac’s outlook in the Oakland A’s organization.
Read more »
'Mars needs people': Mark Cuban shares what Elon Musk told him about having childrenMark Cuban revealed what fellow billionaire Elon Musk once told him about his plans for children.
Read more »
MLB Draft: Standout Palo Alto outfielder taken by A’s in second roundPaly’s Henry Bolte goes to the Oakland A’s in the second round at No. 56 overall.
Read more »
How Don Bluth went from a Utah farm kid to animating for Disney and SpielbergDon Bluth, the animator behind movies like “The Land Before Time” and “The Secret of Nimh,” tells his story in a new memoir.
Read more »
Families can stock up on supplies at these North Texas back-to-school eventsThe start of the new school year is just around the corner for North Texas students. Local nonprofits and churches are helping them get ready by holding back-to...
Read more »