This was posted on FB by my daughter-in-law about 6 year old Zoe
So let me tell you about my night…get comfy, this will take a while.
My kid loves rainbows. She loves everything associated with rainbows. When we took her to her first Pride event, she freaked out. “A rainbow FESTIVAL?!?! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!” When we told her what Pride meant, she got even more excited. We’ve been taking her to Pride and other LGBTQIA+ events her whole life.
She’s 6. She doesn’t need to know all the details. All she needs to know (and what it boils down to anyway) is that when we go to these events, we are celebrating love. All things love. All kinds of love. That it doesn’t matter who we are, or who we love, it’s just love. It’s the most important thing in the world. We love everyone, no matter what.
Tonight, MoSH (Museum of Science and History aka The Pink Palace) was putting on a family friendly Pride event- a drag show and dance party. Zoe has been wanting to go to a drag show since she met her first queen. “I can’t wait to see the dragon queen’s hair!!! What color do you think it’ll be? I bet purple!” She was BEYOND excited about tonight. I got home from work, and she was already decked out in her rainbow finest- Jojo Siwa t-shirt, rainbow striped pj shorts, knee-high rainbow socks, cat ear headbands, rainbow fishnet gloves, and Crocs. My girl can accessorize, what can I say? I changed and we were ready to go.
She was bubbling with excitement the entire drive to the museum. Until we pulled into the front gate. We were met by a female police officer whose SUV, with lights flashing, was blocking the entrance. She came up to the passenger window. “It’s canceled.” “What? Why?” “Protesters. The Proud Boys decided to show up with guns. They’re upset this is on public property. Religious nuts, too. They’ll reschedule for a later date on private property.” She then noticed Zoe in the back seat who looked scared (because she heard “gun”, I’m sure), then she looked back at me and mouthed “I’m so sorry.” I told the officer to be safe, thanked her, and pulled off.
I looked back at my sweet daughter. She was absolutely devastated. Crying so hard with her face in her hands. “Why did they cancel??? I was so excited!” I pulled over, held her hand, and tried to think of the words to comfort my heartbroken little girl. What was I supposed to say? I wasn’t ready to explain to my six year old why these people were protesting. Or even what a protester was. But she asked, so I told her.
I asked her if she knew why we go to Pride events. She said “love”. I told her right- all kinds of love. And that some men love men and some women love women. And that that’s awesome. We love love. We go to these events to show our love and support for these awesome people. But that some people don’t support this. Some people think that that kind of love is wrong. And it’s not. Love is never wrong. Hate is wrong. And those protesters hate. “But you know what? We still love them. And that makes us right, and them wrong.”
She seemed to understand. And then moved on to the fact that she had gotten all dressed up for a girls night out, but didn’t have anywhere to go. So I took her bowling for the first time. And we had a great time.
I was not prepared to have to talk to my daughter about hate tonight. Or guns. Or protesters. Or why a small group of cowards with guns (yes cowards- they all had their pathetic faces covered) can ruin what should have been a fun night out. But I hope this is a lesson she will remember forever. We love in this house. Everyone. No matter what. And we will ALWAYS celebrate that. Rainbows and all.