This morning I was driving into work as I do most Fridays. Because of the traffic in DC, I generally listen to the local radio station on my way into work in the morning instead of the satellite radio. That way I get the traffic updates and know how late I am going to be to work.
As I drove in this morning the station teased a caller who was concerned about her son having a gay roommate in college as he is heading off to college for the first time. Her son had just found out that the roommate was gay after meeting him and the son was fine with it. The mother on the other hand would have nothing of it.
I am familiar with many of the arguments, and I know about the concerns a parent has for their children. When I came out to my mother she was very concerned about how I was living my life. This however, was a whole new level for me.
The DJ goes to the caller and asks her to explain the story. She spews hatred with every word saying that she is afraid that her son living with a gay man, who has clearly sinned, is encouraging him to pick up bad behaviors. She compares being gay to smoking and drinking at a party, and she doesn't want her son exposed to this kind of behavior. Homo-sexuality is a sin, and obviously this other child was not brought up properly. She is concerned that this will rub off on her son. Apparently she is concerned with her parenting here because if her son was "brought up properly" according to her he would never be gay.
This behavior is disgusting, and children who are gay are just acting out. They have not had the chance life properly, and they have made the wrong decisions. I just don't want my son to make the wrong decisions.
The morning show personalities all voice their concern for her opinions, interjecting and questioning her on why she feels this way. They try to explain that college is about getting to know new people. That her son not being concerned by this is a good thing, he is tolerant unlike his mother.
Callers call in, a woman who is 32 and has known she was gay since she was 10 assures the mother that her homo-sexuality will not rub off on her son. An enraged drag queen calls in and calls the mother ignorant (I agree completely). The mother writes all of these responses off as the response of sinners. It is clear that she will not change her mind and one can only hope that her son does not possess the same hatred as she does.
I am driving along listening to this and screaming at the radio. Here is my response to this woman and those of you like her...
I was raised in a very loving family, I was raised properly and I am still a gay man. I did not catch my homo-sexuality from anybody, and it is not a decision that I made. Believe me I take the easy way out, and coming out to my parents was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. The fact that your son is perfectly fine having a gay roommate should not scare you, it should make you proud. You have somehow despite all odd raised a very tolerant and accepting son, who appreciates that people come in all shapes and sizes. And whether this tolerant and accepting son is gay or not should not change the way you feel about him. He is your son, your flesh and blood, and you should love him no matter what. I know this is difficult for you to understand because your heart is so full of hatred, but please try to think about what you are saying before you say it. All men are created equal...
The fact that you were exposing yourself on the radio, and expressing how much you hate concerns me. It is this kind of hate that breeds violence. I have a feeling that you would have been fine with me being kicked in the head because I was gay and I was evil, and I would be one less person that your son could catch the gay disease from. Much like you pray that your son isn't gay... I pray that you have not passed along your hatred to your children.
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