greenie_breizh | My boss? Is made of awesome (Reply)

Working through Vancouver Sun archives about homophobia to inform my thesis - and when I see how interested I am doing this and how much I enjoy imagining weaving it all together, the same eternal question comes back about what my focus should be as I go on to grad school.

Anyway. I ended up seeing a link to a contribution by Jason C. [last name omitted for obvious reasons], which happens to be the name of one of my supervisors at work. I click to read the article and it's definitely him who wrote this contribution. I want to copy it here, because it made me smile and it's the sort of attitude that I find so heart-warming.

While reading another article on same-sex marriage, I look over at my boys, ages three and five. With young minds still open wide, they have no fear of people who are different. They have close friends with two moms; friends with different skin colours; friends in wheelchairs; friends young, and friends old. All are welcomed into our home with warmth and respect.

At 33 years old, I look back at moments in Canadian history and shake my head in disbelief. There was a time when women couldn't vote and when native kids couldn't speak their own language. It boggles my mind to comprehend these realities today.

Since racism and sexism still exist, it is likely that homophobia will exist into our future as well. But my prediction is this: When my own kids look back in 20 or 30 years time, they will be equally baffled by today's protests about same-sex marriage. "You mean two men couldn't marry? Even if they loved each other?"

As a parent, I can choose to teach my children love and acceptance, or hatred and fear. For the type of world that I hope they grow old in, the wisest and kindest choice is obvious.

Jason C. [The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, B.C.: Feb 5, 2005. pg. C.6]