News Round-Up: May 13, 2018

Some news stories you might have missed:

• A mother who is "against people being gay" wrote to Dear Abby saying her 43-year-old daughter just came out as lesbian. Abby knew just how to handle this one...

• A Texas teacher was accused of "promoting a homosexual agenda" when she showed students a picture of herself and her wife dressed up as Disney characters on the first day of school.

• Starbucks has now adopted an open-bathroom policy following an incident in Philadelphia last month were two black men were arrested while waiting for a business colleague.

• An Oregon school allegedly forced an LGBT student to read the Bible as punishment...?

• GLEE star Kevin McHale says of his recent coming out: "I think there was zero surprise. People knew."

• The Trump administration continues its attack on the trans community by rolling back prison protections.

Dear Abby Tells Gay Grandmother: "Any Child Would Be Blessed" To Have You

A heart-broken lesbian grandmother recently wrote to Dear Abby when her son and daughter-in-law stoppped talking to her and effectively shut her out of her new grandson's life.


Abigail Van Buren (aka Jeanne Phillips) had the perfect response.

See below via Uexpress:

DEAR ABBY: I came out of the closet when my son was 4. I thought I had taught him not to judge because of a label. He’s now 30, with a wife and two adorable children who own my heart.

When my granddaughter was born, my partner and I were at the hospital and have visited with them often and they with us. However, after my grandson was born last year, my son quit speaking to me.

I have asked him numerous times what the issue is. His response is: “I have to protect my children from people who are gay. I don’t want them to know anyone who is gay.” His wife and her family are very religious, and I feel this is the real reason. What can I do? — HEARTBROKEN GAY GRANNY

DEAR HEARTBROKEN: If your son is under the mistaken impression that he is going to somehow “protect” his children by isolating them from gay people, he must be living in an alternate reality. Does he also plan to emigrate to the moon?

I suspect you have put your finger squarely on the reason why your son is now ostracizing you. His wife appears to wield the power in that family, and could benefit by learning more about homosexuality and her religion, which I assume preaches love and tolerance for one’s fellow man rather than judgment and exclusion.

You can’t force your son and his wife to have contact with you if they don’t want to. Leave open the possibility that they may, over time, reconcile their love for you with their faith.

For your own emotional well-being, it’s important you find other outlets for your maternal instincts and go on with your life because any child would be blessed to be a part of it. Sadly, a large number of LGBT young people are rejected by their parents when they come out. These kids would benefit greatly from having a positive adult mentor like you. This could be your golden opportunity to make a significant, positive difference in someone’s life. Contact Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays at pflag.org to find out how to get involved.

Today's "Dear Abby" column

Via JoeMyGod:

Pauline Phillips, the original "Abigail Van Buren," died last year at the age of 94.

Here is today's advice from her daughter Jeanne Phillips, who has written the column since 2002:

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I relocated to Florida a little over a year ago and were quickly welcomed into our new neighbors' social whirl. Two couples in the neighborhood are gay -- one male, one female. While they are nice enough, my husband and I did not include them when it was our turn to host because we do not approve of their lifestyle choices.

Since then, we have been excluded from neighborhood gatherings, and someone even suggested that we are bigots!

Abby, we moved here from a conservative community where people were pretty much the same. If people were "different," they apparently kept it to themselves. I don't feel we should have to compromise our values just to win the approval of our neighbors.

But really, who is the true bigot here? Would you like to weigh in? -- Unhappy in Tampa



DEAR UNHAPPY: I sure would. The first thing I'd like to say is that regardless of what you were told in your previous community, a person's sexual orientation isn't a "lifestyle choice." Gay people can't change being gay any more than you can change being heterosexual.

From where I sit, you may have chosen the wrong place to live because it appears you would be happier in a less integrated neighborhood surrounded by people who think the way you do.

But if you interact only with people like yourselves, you will have missed a chance for growth, which is what you have been offered here. Please don't blow it.

As JoeMyGod points out, the original "Dear Abby," answered the same question in 1981. Pauline was a bit more to the point in her answer: