Last night’s Glee dealt with a tough and timely topic, bullying-related suicide. Even if its treatment felt somewhat superficial and hurried, it will have served its purpose if it helps save even one life. As a lesbian mom, too, I found it particularly interesting that when Kurt (Chris Colfer) is helping Karofsky (Max Adler) imagine a future to live for, he asks him think about having a son and taking him to his first football game. Karofsky’s face lights up at the thought. Fictional though the scene is, it reflects the truth that LGBT young people today can envision a future that includes children.
That certainly wasn’t the case when I was growing up. Some LGBT couples were having kids together by then—more if one includes children from previous opposite-sex relationships—but it certainly wasn’t common, or commonly discussed. Today, it seems every LGBT couple, just like every non-LGBT one, at some point needs to have the conversation about whether to have kids.
This is, I believe, a good thing. Not that every LGBT person (or every non-LGBT person, for that matter) should aspire to be a parent—but one should have the choice.
It does make me realize, however, how much we LGBT parents are role models not only for our own children, but also for LGBT youth. I have to remind myself, though, that being a role model doesn’t mean being perfect. My son will learn more if he sees me make mistakes and deal with them. Likewise, projecting an image of perfection to the world will imply to LGBT youth that they can only become parents if they are perfect—and let’s face it, no parent, LGBT or not, ever is.
Kind of nice to realize one can inspire the youth generation by simply pushing a stroller in the park with one’s partner, even if the kid is howling because you forgot to bring along his favorite snack.