They took my interns away. *Sniffle!*

[sistawendy]

Had one last post-yoga dinner Monday night with E - not the E of chiptune fame - the last of my gay interns. Aw! I'm struck by how many gay teens, like E when she was that age, move out of their parents' houses and find some means of supporting themselves. LGBT kids' independent & resourceful streak is a fine argument against DADT.

One thing that surprised me about E was that her leaving her parents wasn't explicitly about her queerness, necessarily, and I know she isn't alone in that. I get the feeling, though, that the key word here is "explicitly". She never had the coming out talk; she just started talking and acting as if she were out. E seems to be unusual among TBLG* people in having good a relationship with her whole immediate family, all the more unusual because her family hasn't had decades to come to grips with her. I hope she represents the future.

Being around gay people is so much more... relaxing. And no, I wasn't lusting after her for a change. Not that she isn't cute.



*Stolen from Jenny Boylan.

Comments

[la-roja.livejournal.com]

I just came out to my family as poly, bi-sexual, and in a relationship with a woman for the past 2.5 years. It went remarkably well. One sister hardly blinked an eye and while my mother (who is a devout Mormon) is sad about it and concerned for my eternal well-being she has been nothing but loving and accepting. My entire family has really impressed me. I am looking forward to the holidays this year, where my girlfriend will join us for the first time. :)

[sistawendy.livejournal.com]

Yay for your family! You've done way better than average, especially considering your mother's beliefs. I hope their example spreads what I optimistically call common decency where they are.

It's especially wonderful when the family members you don't expect to be way cool are. Your mother is firmly Mormon; mine comes from a small town in the Blue Ridge mountains and can remember World War 2.

I wish I knew why the ones who aren't cool aren't. To quote my son out of context, how do we make it stop?