We exposed the four-year-old to the gay agenda tonight.

[eyesroll]

We attended a potluck hosted by a couple of members of our city's Garden and Yard Society. (We'd had a share in their community garden this summer, had done some cleanup and got invited.) We brought Spanish-style meatballs (in tomato-garlic sauce).

Now, if you look closely at the group's acronym, you will figure out the non-gardening part of their mission. And yes, my SO and I were in the minority -- there were a few opposite-sex couples, but several same-sex couples, and several singles of various orientations (disclosed and not). Kiddo was the only person under 4' in the room, but she made herself quickly at home. (Throughout the night, she declared herself to be a dog named Goddard and refused to eat anything other than crackers, but other than that, she behaved herself perfectly.)

At one point, late in the evening, the attendees scattered throughout the main living areas. Kiddo made herself at home on the couch -- squashed between one female couple, and one male couple. It was then that our sweet, little innocent child was introduced to the gay agenda -- which, apparently, tonight, consisted of snot jokes and compliments about her spider "tattoo." Kiddo was tickled pink.

And you know what? Never, at one point, did she ask why Sarah had her arm around Alice instead of Will (names changed, not because I have anyone to protect but because I don't remember). She just assumed Sarah and Alice were sweethearts, and Will and Scott were sweethearts. You know why? Little kids accept that love is good, no matter what the people look like -- and they continue to accept that when they start answering questions, if their questions are answered with something other than "the Bible says it's a sin," or something worse.

There was a horribly bigoted ad here over the last few years -- it featured little kids, not much older than ours, asking questions like, "If I had two daddies, who would be my mommy?" and "My teacher said it's OK if Grandpa was a girl, is it?"...questions that are pretty valid in kid contexts but you know the ad sponsors aren't answering with anything that will promote acceptance, or even tolerance.

If more people just hang out as human beings, and bring their kids...soon, those stupid amendments will be considered relics of a less enlightened time. Because more people will realize that it's all about community. And food. And snot jokes.

Who knew?

[Dem2theMax]

1. What a wonderful story!

Warmed my heart. :) Your little four year old is going to grow up to be a wonderful and loving human being. Bravo to you, her parents!

[eyesroll]

2. Thanks! I will add -- she is my stepdaughter, and her mom is, happily, on the good side as well.

I couldn't imagine trying to raise a child, even part time (and from the distance that a step does), if her bio mom was trying to teach her hate. (Needless to say, if her bio dad was trying to teach her that, I wouldn't be with him.)

[Magrittes Pipe]

3. She's Jimmy Neutron's robotic dog?

I'm afraid that's Ruby's fault. :(


And congratulations on your marriage! :toast: :bounce:



edit: thanks for inviting us. x(

[eyesroll]

4. Hey, we haven't married. (Can't do that legally right now anyway.)

But I can't use "spousal equivalent" anymore, as that's illegal in Wisconsin. :evilfrown:

"Stepdaughter" is decent enough shorthand.

[Magrittes Pipe]

5. Having a stepdaughter is a condition substantially similar to marriage.

:P

[eyesroll]

6. We are not in a relationship substantially similar to marriage.

We are happy. :toast:

[Magrittes Pipe]

7. Hey, we're happy, too!

Unless dolo's been telling you something I don't know about. :grr:

[eyesroll]

8. Well, then you're not in a state substantially similar to marriage either.

:toast:

[Magrittes Pipe]

9. Yay for out-of-state marriages!

:shrug:

[RetroLounge]

12. "a relationship substantially similar to marriage"

Hey, I gots me one of them...

:hi:

RL

[Porcupine]

10. Thank God! I thought you meant Teletubbies. n/t.

.

[skygazer]

11. Great post and excellent points

I remember when my kids were little and watched Sesame Street all the time. We lived in Vermont so we weren't exactly surrounded by minorities and one day my 4 year old remarked, "Gordon (one of the characters on Sesame Street who was black) is different from the others." I thought, "Uh, oh, here comes a question about why some people have darker skin than others."

And she continued, "He's bald." :rofl:

Yeah, kids don't notice that stuff - they just pick up on the attitudes of adults.