Equal Rights Blog Hop–My Two Uncles

 

 

 

blog_hop_buttonThis post is part of Queer Town Abbey’s Equal Rights Blog Hop. Be sure and click here or the image to see the other awesome posts.  There’s TONS of prizes too! The question all the posts are answering is “What was your first experience with the LGBT community?”

My answer is in my baby pictures. There’s a picture of me meeting my two uncles for the first time at around six months old. Growing up, it was simply a fact of life that these particular two uncles lived together and shared a home with just one bedroom. That picture of me with them is one of dozens–memories made where they took me to events and cultural opportunities and memories when they hosted family gatherings. Through them, I was exposed to other same-sex couples who attended social events. My uncles were the epicenter of family life for that side of the family for most of my childhood. 

I always associate Fourth of July with their house–and to me as a small child, they were just like any other couple, firing up burgers on the grill, tossing a baseball around with us kids, watching fireworks. They’d been together longer than my parents and were the happiest couple I knew. 

It wasn’t until I was much older that I understood that not all families were as welcoming as ours and that there were some people who stood in judgment against their union. And it wasn’t until I was an adult that I understood what it meant that despite the gold bands on their hands, they weren’t legally wed–all the rights that they didn’t have and all the fears that they had to face. It was as  an adult that I let my love for them lead me to activism for all LGBT people.

My uncles have been together over 40 years now, but have only been legally wed for a few years because the country is only now catching up to what that part of my family has known all along–love is love.

Your turn! I want to know what family member, other than your parents, had the most influence on your childhood?

To be entered in the prizes for the hop, be sure to visit: http://queertownabbey.com/the-equal-rights-blog-hop-july-4th-through-11th/

10 thoughts on “Equal Rights Blog Hop–My Two Uncles”

  1. I had a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins. My youngest uncle is 6 years older than me, so we were almost like siblings in some ways. A few of my aunts really influenced my life.

  2. My second oldest sister. She kept me on point and whenever I was feeling down she would push me and not let me give up.

  3. My aunt, my dad’s sister, had the most influence on my childhood. She was always there. My childhood was very rocky for many reasons, many of these reasons were outside my control. She helped me realize that I was worth loving. How can someone repay that kind of idea?

  4. Shirley Ann Speakman

    My Mum’s eldest sister she was really like a grandmother to me and my sister. She could be harsh but then again she had the best sense of humour.

    ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

  5. For me it was my brothers and sister. I grew up knowing that no matter what we always had each other’s back and that we loved each other no matter what. Because of them I learned who I was. This is the one lesson I have always stressed to my two kids.

  6. Hi Annabeth,

    I want to send a personal thank you for your participation in The Equal Rights Blog Hop. Thanks to you the Blog Hop was a great success.

    I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy and safe summer.

    All the best,

    Anders
    Founder/Administrations Manager
    Queer Town Abbey

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