I appreciate this article. I have a child who is part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and though I've been a long-time advocate, it still caught me completely off guard when I found out the news. Which made me feel even worse. I felt like a crappy parent for not noticing sooner and wondered how I could walk in the annual Pride parade and volunteer at LGBTQIA+ events in the community for years without even realizing my own child was part of the community.

I felt a mix of emotions and worried that I'd never have grandkids (yes, I know adoption is a thing, but it was still a fear I had). I was also scared my child would be bullied due to their identity. I didn't share any of these fears with my child because I didn't want my burdens to become theirs. I'm just thankful my child felt supported enough to share their identity with me, as I know many kids can't safely do so.