Wow! That second one really touched me. Things like that really convince me that the kids are okay!

I also ran across this today.

Tevlin: DeLaSalle kids have a few words with archdiocese at marriage talk

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/146031865.html

When DeLaSalle senior Matt Bliss heard rumors that the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis planned to hold a mandatory school assembly to talk about marriage, and potentially gay marriage, he remembers thinking, "This is not going to end well."

He was right.

"The first three-quarters of the presentation were really good," said Bliss. "They talked about what is marriage and how marriage helps us as a society. Then it started going downhill when they started talking about single parents and adopted kids. They didn't directly say it, but they implied that kids who are adopted or live with single parents are less than kids with two parents of the opposite sex. They implied that a 'normal' family is the best family."

"When they finally got to gay marriage, [students] were really upset," said Bliss. "You could look around the room and feel the anger. My friend who is a lesbian started crying, and people were crying in the bathroom."

Bliss was one of several students who stood up to argue with the representatives from the archdiocese. One girl held up a sign that said, "I love my moms." . . .

It really is a different world than the cramped and lonely one where I grew up. Thank goodness!

I myself am not gay. I am a supporter of equality. I don't even really have the words to express my lack of understanding when it comes to other people. People who claim to be christians especially. The whole idea of christianity is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Jesus loved all right? And to hate anyone for any reason is so heartbreaking to me.
My family (with the exception of me of course) is pretty hardcore Catholic. But they draw the line at hate. My mom thinks the church is outright wrong with their stance on gay marriage and has let many people know it. That lady is a force and makes me proud.

I made a facebook post about my son playing with a Barbie Corvette. I had some *kitten* I knew in highschool tell me I had better be careful or my son would 'become' gay. Apparetly you are either born gay or the other option is to own a Barbie Corvette.
I told him that is wouldn't matter to me. I would love him and support him no matter gay, straight, transgender. He is my baby. How could I ever stop loving and protecting him for any reason? I would die first.
And can I just say I was so proud of how many of my friends chimed in to 'like' or post support for their own children.
And of course I ended that day with one less facebook friend.

Thats where the effed up view of society comes in and why toys r us had to deal with a fat lawsuit.

A child should be able to play with any toy whether that child is male or female, playing with barbies or tonka trucks.
Society has this warped view that if your son plays with barbies then hes gonna sumhow be "gay".

Toys are us was sued by a child for gender discrimination because he didnt agree with the fact that toys r us advertised thier toys with "Outdated Gender roles".

Here is an article on it: http://www.thelocal.se/22504/20091006/

I myself am not gay. I am a supporter of equality. I don't even really have the words to express my lack of understanding when it comes to other people. People who claim to be christians especially. The whole idea of christianity is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Jesus loved all right? And to hate anyone for any reason is so heartbreaking to me.
My family (with the exception of me of course) is pretty hardcore Catholic. But they draw the line at hate. My mom thinks the church is outright wrong with their stance on gay marriage and has let many people know it. That lady is a force and makes me proud.

I made a facebook post about my son playing with a Barbie Corvette. I had some *kitten* I knew in highschool tell me I had better be careful or my son would 'become' gay. Apparetly you are either born gay or the other option is to own a Barbie Corvette.
I told him that is wouldn't matter to me. I would love him and support him no matter gay, straight, transgender. He is my baby. How could I ever stop loving and protecting him for any reason? I would die first.
And can I just say I was so proud of how many of my friends chimed in to 'like' or post support for their own children.
And of course I ended that day with one less facebook friend.

Thats where the effed up view of society comes in and why toys r us had to deal with a fat lawsuit.

A child should be able to play with any toy whether that child is male or female, playing with barbies or tonka trucks.
Society has this warped view that if your son plays with barbies then hes gonna sumhow be "gay".

Toys are us was sued by a child for gender discrimination because he didnt agree with the fact that toys r us advertised thier toys with "Outdated Gender roles".

Here is an article on it: http://www.thelocal.se/22504/20091006/

While I am not for assigning traditional gender roles I think it is stupid to sue a company that creates toys based on those roles. You can opt out of buying from them. I like the idea of raising awareness but lawsuits are not the way to do this. Its up to parents to teach our children and let them make decision on the toys they like and enjoy. My son has a little kitchenette. Its adorable and he loves to imitate me cooking. Guess what? He is going to have to learn how to cook one day. And vaacum and wash dishes. I had cars, GJ joes and toy guns as a tot. (That might explain why I am a little 'off' but I liked what I like.)
My kid has my old barbies. Dora coloring books and Tonka trucks. He likes what he likes.

wow. that legit just brought tears to my eyes. it was beautiful. and the original post was right, so many of us - sometimes even me - we look down on other ppl... why? why do we think that that will make us "better"? i've been actively trying to get rid of those feelings for a few months now, and let me tell you, THAT is what makes you feel better, but the kind of better that's in your soul.

i think that Dan articulated this beautifully. and i think that the proud mom is an awesome person for being able to set aside that indoctrinated, knee-jerk reaction and love her kid. b/c we all know ppl who can't.

thank you so much for sharing this!!

My parents were not terribly accepting when I came out to them but eventually they came around. They never rejected me, but they definitely wished we had never talked about it. What changed things was my bringing my partner with me when I visited. How could they hate the fact that I was gay when it meant I got to spend my life with such a wonderful guy?

A year or so ago, a kid in their small rural town committed suicide after anti-gay bullying at the local middle school. A church friend of theirs decided the town needs a chapter of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), and they were among the organizing members. I never would have predicted that my folks would become pro-LGBT+ activists. While in their 80s, no less!

That is awesome. Great parents

A good friend of mine posted this article to her Facebook, which is how I came across it. Both us us were raised in a quite stifling Christian community, and I was fairly rather bluntly rejected at 17 due to my "proclivities," but she had always remained a friend. She said that the article made her rethink her position on her opinions on the gay community, as well as other people she judges harshly.

I think the article has a lesson in it that is not just true for people of faith (regardless of which faith) , but something we desperately need withing the LGBT community. Some (not all) of us do something very similar, even to members of our own community: "I'm liberal and accepting, unless you're Trans." "I'm friends with everyone, unless you're republican." "I'm open-minded, unless you're religious."

It's just food for thought. Be who you say you are, live what you preach.

You might also be interested in this video about a Mormon LGBT group.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym0jXg-hKCI&feature=player_embedded

i think that Dan articulated this beautifully. and i think that the proud mom is an awesome person for being able to set aside that indoctrinated, knee-jerk reaction and love her kid. b/c we all know ppl who can't.

So true. Working for my college's Gender and Sexuality Center, it was a part of the job that I got to hear people's coming out and not-coming-out stories. When somebody came out to a close-minded parent I almost never heard of the parent choosing to open their heart. So frequently they turned away from the child and either ignored them or turned hateful towards them. It was heartbreaking. It takes a lot of strength to look at the values you've held your whole life and decide that you need to change.

Raises hand HIGH. I was, and still am a devout Christian. I was indoctrinated to believe gays were deviants that were going to hell. I was always accepting of my gay friends, and walked out on church services based on this............well HATE. It bothered me, but I did nothing about it.

Then my baby girl came out when she was 16. I was fully supportive of her from the get go, but I dealt with the internal worries and fears.

Every night I prayed that God would give me guidence on how to deal with it, and to please show me he loved her still. You see, this was my biggest fear, that He would not love her. It made me so sad.

One night I fell asleep with the TV on. I was awakened at 2 am by yelling. As I opened my eyes I saw a red faced, sweating (very popular) preacher on TV. THen I noticed the audience was shaking their fists, some standing and jumping up and down, others spitting nasty words.

When I woke up enough to realize I was not watching a fight match, but a church service.........Holy God save us.

I heard his voice say "Jeannie, that is not who I am. I love you and DD today as always. Love is who I am"

Now folks I will tell you that 1. I was scared I was hearing voices :laugh: and 2. I hit my knees in thanks.

I never looked back.

It was awesome to have all my DD friends at my home that summer. May they always feel the love and acceptence I tried to show them. :flowerforyou: