Early Affirmations

I will never forget wearing my mother's slips as dresses, putting on her wig, makeup, costume jewelry, and pumps, and dancing around my parents' bedroom at 4 and 5 years old. I didn't learn that behavior from any friends or from television- it just came naturally as a fun kind of play. Unfortunately I was severely shamed by my father who I'm sure was just afraid that his only son would have a hard time in a non-accepting world. I was caught on many occasions, but kept playing this game that gave me such joy. I continue to play this game into adulthood with no shame! I didn't know the word "gay" as a child except within the context of the sick men on TV dying of AIDS. It was Ellen Degeneres coming out on her sitcom that allowed me to say, "Hey, that's me!" I then continually watched Will & Grace so I would have some sort of a gay role model in my teen years. I thank God that we have made such progress now that LGBT people can be found regularly on TV in positive light so that children can better self-identify. But media isn't enough. We need affirming parents who will not steal the joy their children find in discovering who they are.