Unsupportive parents is an unfortunate reality for way too many LGBTQ+ youth (and adults). While many people are fortunate to find a close support system of family they could choose, others are not so lucky.
“Making It” contestant shares heartbreaking story of being written off as dead by parents
This week NBC released their much anticipated show “Making It” starring Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman which focuses on skilled crafters as they compete in challenges to produce their best handiwork. The show is lighthearted and humorous, but this week’s premiere also featured the all too painful reality that some people face when coming out.
Contestant Jeffery Rudell shared the gut-wrenching story of his parents’ reaction to his coming out and how they wrote him off as dead. The story of Rudell’s funeral wreath brought viewers together online in a loving chorus of “Your parents are missing out on so much.”
Catholic university waives tuition for gay teen
Affording a college education seemed like a far-off dream for high school senior Seth Owen. The 18 year old Jacksonville, Florida student moved out of his house this past February after enduring conversion therapy attempts from his parents for the last year.
Living with friends and working practically full-time to make ends meet, Owen was still able to graduate high school as a co-valedictorian with a 4.16 GPA . Despite being accepted to Georgetown University, paying for tuition with his financial status the way it was seemed like a far off dream for Owen, until his town stepped up.
Owen’s biology teacher created a GoFundMe page asking donors to help “make Seth a Hoya.” The $20,000 goal was passed, bringing in over $139,000. The support for Owen did not stop there though.
“The Office of Student Financial Services (at Georgetown) was instrumental in helping me enroll in the Georgetown Scholarship Program, whose purpose is to make attendance at Georgetown possible for students in a financial situation similar to my own,” Owen said. “This program also includes mentoring and networking opportunities, which will help me to assist others in situations similar to the one I found myself in earlier this year.”
Rent a supportive mother for your wedding
Unfortunately, weddings are time where family support for a person’s LGBTQ+ relationship can rear its ugly head. Not all marriers are fortunate enough to have a supportive relationship with their parent(s) and getting married is often a big reminder of that, causing pain during one of the happiest moments of a person’s life.
Loving, caring mother Sara Cunningham does not want anyone to experience the pain of missing out on having a mom at their wedding due to lack of support and is publicly volunteering to be a stand-in for anyone who wants it. Better yet, she’ll even bring the bubbles!
Cunningham said her decision is motivated by her son’s coming out and her reluctance to accept it at first based on her faith and the conservative status of her Oklahoma town.
“The mother went from not knowing how to reconcile with her faith, to writing a book to help other mothers struggling to accept their LGBTQ children: ‘How We Sleep at Night: A Mother’s Memoir.’” shares CBSNews.
Cunningham officiates weddings a well as playing the role of mom at them. Her post has resulted in a flooded inbox with requests for her attendance at weddings.
