Teen Atheist is 17. Turning 18 in less than a week (happy early birthday!). There’s an LGBT Pride March in her area that she wants to attend as a supporter.
Her mom won’t let her.
I approached my mother and asked her if I could go. She gave me a firm “No,” explaining that I was too young to attend such an event.
“Why am I too young?”
“Well, there’s the whole thing about gay marriage, and gay rights…issues that even some adults can’t understand, let alone a child like you. Besides, if you’re only there for show, you’re going to look like an idiot.”
As a straight guy who has attended events just like these in support of equal rights for LGBT people, the mom doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
What does that comment even mean? What’s there to understand? Gay people deserve the same rights as everyone else. There are people out there (almost always Christian) who oppose it. They are wrong. We are right. That’s it.
Easy, no?
I’m also a bit curious why Teen Atheist (TA) asked her mom in the first place. I’m pretty sure she knew what answer was coming.
TA responds:
Of course I understand gay rights, why the fuck do you think I’m going? To look fabulous, or scout for the perfect Gay BFF? This march is about anti-discrimination, which has always been my biggest cause. LGBT people deserve as much respect as everybody else.
It’s precisely people like TA, who think this way, who need to attend these events. The LGBT community needs the support of girls like her.
She poses a couple questions to readers:
1. Is my mother right? … am I too young to attend this march?
2. If not, how can I convince my mother to let me go?
No, you’re not too young. I don’t think there is an age too young to understand that all people deserve equal rights and we should oppose those who would try and prevent that from happening.
I say that this is a case where you don’t need to tell the truth. Get a friend, get a ride, give an excuse to the parental units and go. The mom doesn’t need to know your whereabouts. You’re not doing anything wrong.
What do you think?
[tags]atheist, atheism[/tags]
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