Bullies. They’ve been in the news a lot lately. If it’s not someone posting video of his roommate making out with another guy on Facebook, then it’s the Colorado Speaker of the House refusing to allow the civil unions bill to have a floor vote. Bullies are always winning, coming out on top.
One day a boy in my class drew a picture: All my classmates were on one side of the page, and I, by myself on the other side, stood with the awful nickname written above my head. He hung it on the classroom door. My teacher walked in and removed it, but didn’t say a thing about it then, or ever.
Many of the shared experiences among LGBT people as a marginalized community are our families’ shared experiences too – and so our straight parents, siblings and children are, in no small way and if they choose to own it – members of the community through us.
Sometimes family bonds need to be forged anew when parents learn that a child is gay. So it was with Trish Pachak, who confronted her daughter about her suspicions 13 years ago.