Advice - in the closet with children

Sheri wrote to me this week from Kansas.
"My girl and I have been together for 7 years. We are raising the child I was pregnant with when we met. No one knows we are more than roommates. My daughter, our daughter, is asking questions. Lots of them. I don't want to tell her. Scared. Help."

Sheri, your daughter knows
your friends know
your neighbors know
your family knows
Free yourself
free your burden
teach your daughter to love herself
and be proud of herself
through your honesty and bravery
How will she learn true pride
when her moms
who adore her
are hiding?
I promise you this
you are not alone
we are here for you
and thousands of others
just like you
probably many right in your town
you will not be alone in this
it just takes one first step
be brave
hold your partner's hand
smile
and speak the truth
we are here

Massachusetts

We moved from Massachusetts 3 years ago this month
to a tree lined street
1 mile from the beach
amazing school system
1 hour to new york city
to give our son and soon-to-be born daughter
a better life.
less graffiti
open spaces
freedom from the city.
we are two well educated women
we are activists
we have fought for change
from the second I realized that a closet existed I have fought to destroy it.
how naive could we have been
we moved almost three years ago this month
to what I thought would be a utopia
and now
after two-and-half-years
of closed minded comments
ignorance
burdens on our children to explain
their family
their race
their difference
we are home again
In mssachusetts.
Massachusetts
Puritan country
where families seem to fall over themselves to welcome us
call my partner my wife
without any modeling
or prompting from me
where there are so many multiracial
queer, single, women, daddy headed household's
that we blend in.
Who knew I needed that
How could I not know I needed that
How could we have taken this place
these laws
this time for granted?
and now
we are home
and I and am thankful so very thankful.
today
at the doctors office
my son went on and on to a fellow patients mom
about how he beat his Mama 4 times in chess
and his Mommy 5 times
and she did not blink
she did not miss it
she did not stumble
here, in Massachusetts
to live
you must get it
how amazing to be home again!

"All Aboard!"

Last weekend
we journeyed to New York
to see the premiere of
"All Aboard -
Rosie's Family Cruise"
My son,
P. Diddy Jr.
no fear, no inhibition
completely at home with the papparazzi
he cried throughout the film
happy tears mama
and then big sad ones too - he does not miss the hate and oppression that exist in this world
my small man of five

He told the press that he is inviting president bush on the next cruise
so he can learn to love "two mommies"

I have said it before
this cruise is a miracle
the first oasis in america
where freedom truly reigns
please watch this film

HBO March 6th 8:00

and then show it to your family
your co-workers
mention it to your neighbors
the man at the newspaper stand
the family at daycare
the people on the bus
they cannot help but learn
grow
and celebrate
there is no downside with love