Mom of the Year

[wendilin622]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 5:02pm

Apologies if this is posted, but I didn't see it..... Nice to know there are some very cool people in this world.


http://nerdyapplebottom.com/2010/11/02/my-son-is-gay/

[romantico]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 5:18pm

I saw this earlier and almost cried. what a brave and beautiful Mother. I hope this story gets a lot of exposure. By the way, the kid is really cute!

[Q]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 5:21pm

Love it.

Reminds me of 'The Princess Boy' and his family, which I also loved.

There is hope!

[Marianne2]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 6:14pm

That mom does make a good point though about costumes and gender. My mom dressed me up as Mickey Mouse one year because he was my favorite cartoon character. And then I think the year after I was a male Popple because he was my favorite, and nobody said anything at all.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 6:16pm

I think the saddest part of the article was that the boy KNEW when he was walking into the school that it was going to be tough on him. What kind of world do we live in that a 5 year old is afraid of what others will think of him on Halloween?

Something needs to change.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 6:16pm

Double post. Sorry! Updated On: 11/4/10 at 06:16 PM

[StockardFan]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 6:19pm

That totally made me cry like a baby.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 6:55pm

I love this story so much. Definitely true about gender double-standards. The most feminine costume I wore in my childhood was Barney the Dinosaur. Nobody turned an eye that I was a werewolf, Peter Pan, a magician, Captain Hook, Skeleton, Grim Reaper, Ninja (I am upset I never grew up to be a ninja) etc. That said, I would have killed for that Daphne costume as a kid.

[mominator]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 6:56pm

Way to go mom!!!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 7:49pm

I'm gonna be the one with the unpopular opinion here.
Speaking as a man who would have killed to be Daphne for Halloween when I was a kid, if my parents would have let me (I cant say I ever asked) I can guarantee you that it would have followed me throughout High School, always being called all the names you can think of. It's wonderful that she loves her son and wants him to be happy whoever he is, but kids are cruel. They always have been and they always will be. It's a part of growing up to deal with it but I don't see the need to light that fire at the age of five.

Again, I'm sure it won't be a popular opinion.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 8:39pm

I can totally understand your point, Jordan. I was more just responding to her feelings about her love for her child.

[Q]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 8:43pm

However, by addressing the issue openly - with the class and in school - a foundation is layed not only for him to process things, but perhaps for them to see things from a different perspective.

Also, not doing this wouldn't change all that much, to my mind. If he was of a mind to express to her his desire, then he would have expressed elsewhere in other ways. I'd much rather it be dealt with openly, honestly, and with intent than just wait for whatever explosion might take place - without her guidance or assurance.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/4/10 at 11:04pm

Jordan, I totally see where you are coming from. I had a mixed reaction to this as well. On the one hand it's great that she's so supportive, but on the other hand I hope that she doesn't go too overboard. Unfortunately children can be cruel (whether it's nature or nurture I'm not going to even begin to go in to) and a label, especially one like "gay," can easily follow a child through his entire school career and make life very hard, whether he turns out to be homosexual or not.

And, for what it's worth (and as "stifling" as this may sound), if it was my child, I think I may have taken the "let's save Daphne for trick or treat and think of something else for school," especially considering that this is a Christian school. After all, we all know how open to something different a majority of them are.

[Q]

Posted: 11/5/10 at 12:11am

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

[madbrian]

Posted: 11/5/10 at 8:56am

I wish the article had more info about how the classmates responded. As for the double-standard, my eldest daughter dressed up as Waldo one year, and the Phantom another, and no one batted an eye. From the safety of my keyboard, I applaud the mother, however, if I had had sons instead of daughters, I'm not sure I could have been that strong. At this moment in my life, I know I could, but as a young parent, I'm not so sure.

[romantico]

Posted: 11/5/10 at 12:21pm

Here we go. This didn't take long.

CNN Psychologist Scolds Mom for 'Outing' Son Who Wanted to Dress as Daphne on Halloween

http://www.towleroad.com/2010/11/watch-cnn-psychologist-scolds-mom-for-outing-son-who-wanted-to-dress-as-daphne-on-halloween.html

[Q]

Posted: 11/5/10 at 12:24pm

"She was also scolded for 'outing' her son by psychologist Jeff Gardere, who says it's the 'worst nightmare' of both heterosexual and gay couples 'to have to fathom that their child might be gay.'"

The worst nightmare, huh?

[StockardFan]

Posted: 11/5/10 at 3:54pm

That's not my worst nightmare. That would be my child dying. Him possibly being gay doesn't even rank as any kind of nightmare.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/5/10 at 7:02pm

And she didn't OUT him. She just "suggested" he certainly might be. Or not.

She did mention that the kids seemed fine with his choice and he even rec'd a high five. The disgruntlement seemed to only come from the parents.

[canmark]

Posted: 11/6/10 at 11:15am

I love this story, too. My only (slight) misgiving is posting the photo of her child on the Internet, esp. now that the story has gone viral. She sounds like a wonderful mother, though.

Also, I was reminded of Billy Elliot's friend Michael, who likes to cross dress. And the boy in the film Ma Vie En Rose (trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1855389977/) and the somewhat older boy in Breakfast With Scot (trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3641770009/).

What's the big deal? Maybe he'll grow up to be gay? Maybe he'll grow up to be straight? Maybe he's trans? Maybe he'll be and actor and earn his living dressing up as somebody else? Maybe he'll just have an ordinary suburban life with a spouse and kids.

But with a mother like that, I think the kid's gonna be all right.

Side note: At Halloween on Church St. (the gay street in Toronto) I saw a young girl dressed as Darth Vader. I don't think her parents were worried that she'll grow up to be a Sith Lord.

Updated On: 11/6/10 at 11:15 AM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 11/6/10 at 12:53pm

What a great costume. Still, it's upsetting that the other mothers were the ones who had a problem with it. I sure hope their kids don't grow up to be like them. Really, it's none of their damn business if a mother wants to let her son dress up like Daphne. Nobody's harming thier kid.

[alawhat]

Posted: 11/7/10 at 12:46am

I saw this and thought what an attention whoring bitch with no respect for her son, not 'mom of the year'.
The title of the blog: 'My Son is Gay' - um, no he's not, he's five years old. I know she repudiates it in the actual post in a sort of "maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but that title wouldn't get me hits" way, but what kind of weirdo thinks about their five year old's sexuality, let alone *decides* it?

To make it even worse she posted a picture which will follow him through his adolescence - thanks, mom! She also inextricably linked homosexuality with transvestism - thanks, mom!

This would have been fine if she had just let him wear the costume and didn't tell the whole f**king world in a masturbatory 'AREN'T I A GREAT MOM!!!? AREN'T I??' way. Her job is to protect her son - she shouldn't have to censor his costume choice, but putting him on the internet as an unconsenting poster boy I think is genuinely exploitive.

IMO, anyway.

[Q]

Posted: 11/7/10 at 1:06am

Well, alrighty then.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 11/7/10 at 1:25am

"attention whoring bitch"

Wow.

Feel better now?

[Q]

Posted: 11/7/10 at 1:39am

ala - just curious here - is there, by chance, anything you've had difficulty forgiving your mother for?