Considering that my son has a longstanding crush on Glee's Blaine and regularly refers to him as "my boyfriend," I thought there was a fair chance that he would someday say, "I'm gay." But my kid is only 7 years old. I figured I had a few years before we...
79 Comments | Posted February 1, 2012 | 02/01/12 04:55 PM ET
I always listen to the news on my way home from work. It's alone time (precious to any parent), and I like to at least pretend to keep up with national and world events. Lately, the news has been full of stories about GOP political primaries. It never seems to...
13 Comments | Posted January 18, 2012 | 01/18/12 06:44 PM ET
When conservatives rant against "gay rights," almost always included is some kind of "think of the children!" message. Just a couple of weeks ago Rick Santorum (snicker) made some truly heinous comments about how children would be better off with a father in prison than two gay fathers...
665 Comments | Posted January 5, 2012 | 01/05/12 06:00 PM ET
Your child might be gay.
I'm not talking about your neighbor's kid or your cousin's kid, and I'm not even talking about my kid (although they are certainly included). I'm talking about your kid. Your kid might be gay.
You may want to protest:
"My son doesn't like show...
13 Comments | Posted December 23, 2011 | 12/23/11 11:57 AM ET
I'm one of those people who will talk to almost anybody. It's a habit that will embarrass the living hell out of my kids as they get older. So, when I met Gil, I started up a conversation.
"Tell me your life story," I said with a laugh.
"Oh, no....
Posted December 16, 2011 | 12/16/11 12:10 AM ET
When people think about LGBT stories and the holidays, some imagine scenes of argument and strife or -- sometimes worse -- tension and polite-acting relatives. Well, this story isn't like that at all. This is the Christmas story of Ryan and Eddie.
The love story started in college. Ryan grew...
Posted December 7, 2011 | 12/07/11 06:54 PM ET
Work has been kicking my ass lately. It was well after the lunch hour the other day when I finally wrenched myself away from my desk and went in search of sustenance. I needed to get back quickly, so I braved something I normally avoid: fast food. When I got...
Posted December 2, 2011 | 12/02/11 12:06 AM ET
My oldest son turned 7 a couple of months ago, and we had a big party with most of our family and friends. My niece Jamie arrived late because she had dance class that day. The present process had already been completed, and all the kids were running around like...
Posted November 23, 2011 | 11/23/11 11:42 AM ET
I am generally not a "holiday person," which is kind of frowned upon for a mom. I don't like pictures with Santa. The first couple of years we were parents, we didn't even put up a tree. (Everywhere else we went had one. Why did I need one in my...
Posted November 17, 2011 | 11/17/11 05:57 PM ET
Almost everyone my age (late Gen-Xers who aren't lying about their age... yet) has a story of homophobia that took place at their high school. This is mine, or, rather, it is my friend Kevin's.
Kevin and I grew up in a small town that was short on diversity and...
Posted November 10, 2011 | 11/10/11 07:37 PM ET
I am one of those people who are enthusiastically enthusiastic. I don't just read a book; I read an eight-book series in under a week. If I start watching a television series, I anxiously wait for the kids to go to bed so I can finish the season as soon...
Posted November 3, 2011 | 11/03/11 07:26 PM ET
There are those moments when someone tells me a truth of their life, and I feel so grateful for the privilege of hearing it. Not long ago a truly "rock-star mom" gave me one of those moments.
I may live in a great little diverse and liberal neighborhood in an...
Posted October 27, 2011 | 10/27/11 12:14 PM ET
When we are small, our lives are totally defined by our experience. How our own life works is obviously how the entire world works.
One day, when my oldest son was about 3 years old, I came home from work to find him on the couch with a book in...
Posted October 20, 2011 | 10/20/11 10:53 AM ET
It happens again. It always does. The news reports another innocent child driven to take their own life because of homophobia and bullying.
This news always hits me hard. I vividly remember being bullied in middle school and high school. I remember the kids who did it, the teachers who...
Posted October 13, 2011 | 10/13/11 11:54 AM ET
My oldest son is a shy kid. So shy, sometimes school can be hard for him. On those mornings when I can tell he is a little anxious, we play the "Who Loves You?" game. It's fairly straightforward: I ask him who loves him, and he names off all his...
Posted October 3, 2011 | 10/03/11 01:07 AM ET
Editor's note: "Amelia" is a pseudonym chosen by the author in order to keep her family's identity anonymous.
On August 16 I learned what viral meant.
I wrote an essay about my oldest son and his love of a popular gay television character, Glee's Blaine, and how this crush led...

Posted February 16, 2012 | 02/16/12 01:04 PM ET