Dear Queerty,
I was really disappointed to read the post on AOL about how you criticized the gay families at the White House Easter Egg Roll. Taking a stand at the event was an important message to send to our government, who is increasingly stripping away the rights of LGBT families. It’s people like you who sit back and don’t take a stand until advocates win rights for you, and then you reap the rewards. When are you going to speak up?
–J.T., Philadelphia
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Dear J.T.:
But we agree! The fact that the gay families showed up was great. We said so:
“And we’re quite fortunate these people had the guts to stand up and be noticed, on behalf of gay families everywhere, and set a precedence that everyone has the equal right to participate in whatever they want. Because yes, it is a sad fact that being a child in a gay family is a political statement all in itself, a statement that is made every time those kids leave the house and go to school, go out to play, interact with everyone they meet.”
See? Look at us, being supportive. We daresay it sounds an awful lot like what the other writers put forth, too.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
If you read our post in its entiretly, you’ll notice we specifically referred to the couple in the picture, who held their daughter up in front of a camera and showed her off liked a prized gay-baby pig at the state fair. That’s gross. But you didn’t read that part on AOL, or The Republic Of T‘s response, because they left that paragraph out of their ensuing chorus of complaints. Why? The same reason gay guys fall for straight guys and watch Postcards From The Edge for the 20th time. Sometimes, we all just like to cry.
If the news took pictures of gay families while they were standing outside, well, these things happen, it’s what you have to do sometimes. Being a gay family at a public event is sure to attract attention. What are they going to do, keep their kids at home? Of course not.
However, that couple in the picture was holding their daughter in front of the camera on purpose. That’s not right. It’s terrible, actually, and embarrassing. You don’t put kids in the line of fire on purpose. If you’re concerned for your childrens’ welfare, you should leave them out of your press conferences.
Please understand, we are the biggest media whores out there. We can sniff out cameras from a hundred yards. We will go to the opening of an envelope if there is someone there with a camera phone and a web page to post party pics. But when we have kids, we won’t drag them in front of the camera lens with us. Except when we’re photographed by the papparazzi, who already stalk us relentlessly.
