With love and pride, Governor Deval Patrick’s daughter comes out publicly

[bicentennial_baby]

On June 14, 2007, the day that lawmakers finally voted down an anti-gay marriage amendment to the state constitution, Katherine Patrick stood outside the State House and looked up at her father. Gov. Deval Patrick was standing on the front steps, surrounded by a jubilant crowd of hundreds that mobbed the brick sidewalk and spilled halfway across Beacon Street. As they cheered the defeat of the amendment - an effort led by the governor, Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Sal DiMasi - Katherine had never before felt more proud of her father.

"Because, of course, he didn’t know that I was gay then," the 18-year-old recalls. "So, for someone so publicly to fight for something that doesn’t even affect him was just like, ’That’s my dad,’ you know?" she says with a laugh. "That’s all I could think. I was very, very proud to be part of this family, and this state in general."

-snip-

Katherine and her father are sitting next to each other at a conference room table at the Beacon Street headquarters of MassEquality, where Katherine has been interning since March. Though Patrick and his wife, First Lady Diane Patrick, have zealously guarded the privacy of Katherine and her older sister Sarah, a recent graduate of New York University, they reluctantly agreed to Katherine’s decision to share her story publicly. Both Katherine and Patrick agreed to an interview with Bay Windows, they said, in the hopes of avoiding a "gotcha" news story about Katherine’s sexual orientation that might give the false impression that the family was anything less than accepting and supportive of Katherine.

"As private of an issue as it is, we’ve sort of had to come to terms with the fact that we are a public family and there you give a part of yourself away," says Katherine. "And we also ... wanted people to know that it’s not only something that we accept, but it’s something that we’re very proud of. It’s a great aspect of our lives and there’s nothing about it that is shameful or that we would want to hide."

Katherine recalls coming out to her parents as they prepared for a picnic by the pool at their home in the Berkshires. It was July 3, 2007 at around 2:30 p.m., she says.

-snip-

So when the moment came, she just decided to go for it. Walking into the kitchen, she asked her parents to stop what they were doing and she asked her aunt Lynn to leave the room because she wanted to talk with her mother and father alone. Her parents turned to her and she said, "I’m a lesbian."

"And I’ll always remember the first thing my dad did was, wrapped me in a bear hug and said, ’Well, we love you no matter what,’" Katherine recalls. Diane Patrick moved in for a group hug. After a moment, Katherine, in what she describes as typical teen behavior, asked her hovering parents to step off. "I said, ’Okay, okay,’" she laughs. "I was like ... ’Okay, thanks.’"

more: http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=75834

:D Happy story

[Kerrytravelers]

1. And that's the way it should be.

Mr kt and I always figured that if one our kids told us they were gay, our reaction would be: Cool beans.

We need not tell them we love them no matter what because they will know that one: we love them and two: we're totally cool with people's sexuality. Biology is biology and in our home, science and people are respected.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. Ditto that!

:toast:

[HockeyMom]

3. We knew long before our daughter came out

When she told us, we were like, "So? What else is new"? I think SHE was far more surprised than us.:)

[Kerrytravelers]

4. That's exactly how we'd be.

:thumbsup:

[LeftyMom]

13. That happened with my sister's best friend.

He told my sister first, and then his mom, and they were both like "yeah, I know. Want to order a pizza?" He was a little irritated that nobody was surprised.

[dsc]

14. there is a hilarious parody of that in "Another Gay Movie"

this flaming gay kid tells him mom he is gay and she, of course, knew. She then plays a video of his gayest moments. It was funny. Some of us just can't hide it, no matter what we do.

[LeftyMom]

15. Her friend's like that- he's not one of those people who could pass.

Which was what made his coming out process kind of amusing- he was the only person who thought he was still in the closet.

[dsc]

16. I had it pretty rough in middle school but I learned how to pass

better in high school. Now, since I am out at work, I will be no longer passing with any future students. Passing buys you the ability to be judged on your own merits but at the cost of lying. I hope the friend is OK and doing well.

[LeftyMom]

17. He's doing really well.

:)

[dsc]

18. I am glad for that

Of all the changes that have happened for us, the much better atmosphere that gay kids grow up in, is one of the best.

[LeftyMom]

19. Definitely.

I've posted before about how I didn't grow up in an especially ideal place, fights with racial subtext weren't uncommon at my school, and there were a few shootings nearby, but that students who were openly GLBT (yes, one of the kids at my school was transitioning with full family support) and they didn't take any more shit than any other high school kids.

He's a bit younger than me, and went to a different school, but didn't really have many problems. Some teasing, but he's a smart and funny kid, so he was really good at turning that back on the aggressors. Probably didn't hurt that he's the youngest of several boys, and the oldest was kinda known for fighting.

[dsc]

20. good for him

and his brothers for standing up for him. It gratifies me to hear good stories like that.

[dsc]

8. I love your attitude, but

if you have any thought your kids might be gay you might wish to actually say the words we will love you no matter what. We can know on one level but still doubt it is true.

[Kerrytravelers]

11. Ok, I can see what you're saying.

I guess we just figured with our gay friends and our attitude, they would know. But if they need to be told that directly, we have no problem saying it!

[dsc]

12. It is different when it is you or your kin

or at least we fear it might be. I had both a gay uncle and a gay aunt and still was scared to tell my parents. I know it is irrational but given just how bad the loss could be, it is hard not to entertain even irrational fears.

[FunkyLeprechaun]

5. Hey Alan Keyes

This is how you should treat your daughter, not by kicking her out of the house!

[Olney Blue]

6. Great story- thanks for posting!

[terrya]

7. This is a lovely story

And Governor Patrick's committment to the LGBT community was strengthened even more by his daughter's coming out. :-)

Nice story for Pride Month. I love reading these kinds of stories!

:thumbsup:

[bicentennial_baby]

9. He will be at the front of the Boston Pride parade this Saturday, with

Boston's Mayor Menino. :)

We'll be there too, walking with the Obama contingent. :)

[terrya]

10. Good for you and sniffa!

For the first time, I'll be marching in Chicago's Pride Parade...with a contingent of people from the university I work at here. :-)

Our governor didn't march in the parade last year...I don't expect him to this year, either. But my Congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky, will be marching as she has for a number of years. Since he DOES live here, it would be so cool to see our Presidential nominee and his lovely wife marching in the parade...but it WOULD be a nightmare for the Secret Service to deal with. :-(

[lightningandsnow]

21. Aww! That's wonderful.

Stories like this make me so happy.

[trickyguy]

22. Always glad to hear a really good coming out story. Congrats, Katherine.