Every Mother Deserves to Have a Gay Son

These two TikTok videos of an interview with a BYU professor who has a gay son caught my eye the other day:

I felt like his wording was so beautiful and poetic. It always brings joy to my heart to hear of a parent who loves their child unconditionally, including their child’s partner. It doesn't matter what your religious affiliation teaches about what constitutes "sin." It doesn't matter what your personal beliefs are. Everyone is worthy of love, everyone is worthy of happiness, everyone is worthy of respect, and everyone is worthy to live the life they choose. Isn't that what "free agency" means?

My favorite part of these videos was when he quoted a colleague that said, "Every mother deserves to have a gay son." I have thought about this a lot in my own personal life. Not necessarily that I, a gay man, am this great blessing given to my parents, but rather how blessed both my parents and I are to have each other in our lives. While my parents have a special relationship with each of their children, my relationship with them is unique and beautiful. We learn and grow from one another, we respect one another despite our differences, and I know that my parents love me unconditionally, and hope they know the same of me.

A parent of an LGBTQ+ child, whether that child is young or an adult, is given unique opportunities to love and to be loved unconditionally. They are given opportunities to learn and grow and see the worth of souls through God's eye. And they are given the opportunity to apply their faith and leave everything in God's hands, while they simply love and support their child. Unfortunately, not all parents of LGBTQ+ children fully understand or grasp these opportunities. But, for those who do, go on to live a full and happy life knowing that they did everything they could for their child's health and happiness. At the end of the day, our God's job is to judge, and our job is to love. Do you really think God will punish you for loving others "too much?"

I am lucky enough that my family does understand and have grasped every opportunity to love me as their gay son, brother, uncle, and friend. They have welcomed me into their homes, arms, and hearts, along with whoever I may be dating at the time. The celebrate my happiness, accomplishments, and successes. They cry with me when I am sad or beaten down. And they respect our differences and celebrate what we have in common. For that, I am eternally grateful. I only hope that I am also grasping every opportunity to love and support each of them as well.