2008 Woodie Awards
Love, unconditionally
Ed Carroll
Issue date: 3/12/07 Section: Arts & Life
Jones' family has been fortunate to be so accepting toward Jones' mother and her partner.
"I have two older sisters," Jones said. "Their kids call my mom and her partner 'grandma.'"
Jones said no one directed the children to address them that way.
"Kids don't have preprogrammed baggage," she said. "I don't see [how the children address my mother] as an issue. It's just love after all. My mother and her partner just both happen to be women."
When family dealings are not enough, COLAGE is there to lend a helping hand.
"COLAGE prepares children, youth and adults with LGBT parents to take action for social change," Fenton said. "Our members emerge as engaged activists and leaders."
Jones said she the differences between her lesbian mom and a straight mom would not have mattered.
"[It's] no different than [being] raised by a straight person," she said.
Jones is unsure if she will have a daughter one day, but from the guidance she received from her mom, Jones is confident that if she has a daughter, she will raise her with passion.
"If I have a daughter, I want her to carry on the legacy of strong women," she said. "I want to teach my daughter to be strong like my mother."
Through her experiences, Jones spoke to what it does to keep feelings as strong as personal sexual orientation concealed.
Jones said it is better for everyone to come out and deal with it, and hiding it makes it harder.
As for the love she has for her mother, Jones said, "Love really has nothing to do with sexual orientation. My mom has been a rock for me. Hopefully, all moms are like this."
"I have two older sisters," Jones said. "Their kids call my mom and her partner 'grandma.'"
Jones said no one directed the children to address them that way.
"Kids don't have preprogrammed baggage," she said. "I don't see [how the children address my mother] as an issue. It's just love after all. My mother and her partner just both happen to be women."
When family dealings are not enough, COLAGE is there to lend a helping hand.
"COLAGE prepares children, youth and adults with LGBT parents to take action for social change," Fenton said. "Our members emerge as engaged activists and leaders."
Jones said she the differences between her lesbian mom and a straight mom would not have mattered.
"[It's] no different than [being] raised by a straight person," she said.
Jones is unsure if she will have a daughter one day, but from the guidance she received from her mom, Jones is confident that if she has a daughter, she will raise her with passion.
"If I have a daughter, I want her to carry on the legacy of strong women," she said. "I want to teach my daughter to be strong like my mother."
Through her experiences, Jones spoke to what it does to keep feelings as strong as personal sexual orientation concealed.
Jones said it is better for everyone to come out and deal with it, and hiding it makes it harder.
As for the love she has for her mother, Jones said, "Love really has nothing to do with sexual orientation. My mom has been a rock for me. Hopefully, all moms are like this."
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 10
Jonathan McAtee
posted 3/12/07 @ 9:54 PM EST
I find this to be another example of broken relationships and not appropriate for a "lifelong commitments" series. I noticed this whole article reflected the desires of the mother and did not bring to light the results on the father and other family members (what about grandparents, aunts and uncles?). (Continued…)
Melanie Jones
posted 3/13/07 @ 3:17 PM EST
Johnathan,
I have the pleasure of responding to your comments personally.
My parents relationship was horrible. My mother new she wanted to leave my father when I was 5, I later found out. (Continued…)
tttt
traciy f
posted 3/14/07 @ 7:02 PM EST
Melanie,
I'm impressed that your mother had the strength to own up to and be proud of who she is as a person not knowing what the consquences would be. (Continued…)
jennifer butler
jennifer
posted 3/14/07 @ 8:07 PM EST
I think Melanie makes a very good point when she discusses her mother's unconditional love for her. As I understand it, though I am new here, this topic is "love, unconditional" and does not delve in to what defines that. (Continued…)
Erika
posted 3/14/07 @ 8:23 PM EST
These are such nebulous concepts: Unconditional love; marriage; commitment; functional vs. dysfunctional; sexual identity; and so on...
For example: I am not sure that Jonathan's recalling of a family whose father had promiscuous affairs with other men is a good one. (Continued…)
michelle
michelle
posted 3/14/07 @ 9:25 PM EST
Melanie,
It sounds like this story has a happy ending for your family. It must be hard to come out in a small town after years of being in a straight marriage. (Continued…)
Jonathan McAtee
posted 3/15/07 @ 2:47 PM EST
I feel no embarrassment in sharing my ideas and opinions when anyone chooses to make their lives public and open for critisism. Everyone has an opinion, that is what makes us all, even you Melanie as you have demonstrated, close-minded to some extent. (Continued…)
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