The pro-Prop 8 crowd would love us to believe that exposing children to gay marriage somehow manifests more gay marriage, or something. It's awkward logic at best. The "Yes on 8" yardsigns have become a primer on human rights for my family. I wrote a letter to the editor transcribing an actual conversation with my daughter. Getting big love from the community and some ominous gay-itis warnings from others, I present, beneath the fold a conversation with a seven year old about Prop 8 and gay marriage...
Thanks to the 'Yes on Prop 8' Supporters-Voice of the People
Even though I'm on my third child, now 7, with the older two in their 20's, free, clear and successful, I'm commonly unsure about when to broach developmental topics. I hadn't had the opportunity to explain to my daughter about LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) individuals even though she has caring adults as friends who are LGBT. Just like heterosexual people, their conversations with 7 year olds don't include sexual orientation. It just hadn't come up. Then the neighborhood started sprouting 'Yes on 8' lawn signs and my daughter asks "What do the 'Yes on 8' signs mean?" This conversation ensued:
"There are some people who love people that are the same sex as themselves, a man who loves a man, a woman who loves a woman. These people want to be able to marry and spend their lives together like mommy and I."
"Eeewwww."
"Not to lesbian and gay people, they really love their partners."
"Really? Eeewww."
"Just like mommy and I...What other differences between people can you think about?"
"Some people like Obama and some people like McCain...Some children are good readers and for some it's hard."
"What would happen if there were more Obama people and they passed a rule that McCain people couldn't marry?"
"That's not fair (fair is big to 7 year olds)."
"How about if the good readers decided the bad readers had to go to a different school (community perhaps?) because they didn't read the same way?"
"That would be sad because I wouldn't see...(names several friends) anymore. They don't read good."
"So how about if the man and woman married people want to pass a law that says that men and women who are different than them can't marry?"
"That's just wrong. Why do they want to do that?"
"I think they believe that it is important to protect their way of life. I think it scares them that men who love men and women who love women could somehow hurt them."
"How?"
"Maybe they think their children might become gay if they see same sex couples; I'm not sure."
"It's still not fair."
"What about you? Is this conversation making you wonder whether you want to marry a girl?"
"Eeewwwww."
So again, thanks to the 'Yes on 8' crowd for supporting my daughters continued learning. Too bad she's too young to vote.