My letter to Sally Kern was Unanswered | Issue Letters | Advocate.com | Advocate.com

||  Letter  ||
My Letter to Sally Kern Was Unanswered

On the day I first heard Sally Kern's words, I immediately drafted an email and sent it to her. I have never received a response from her and I suppose I never will, but I wanted to share it with the Advocate. As a parent, I am becoming more and more concerned regarding the world my little girl will face in school. As you may recall, Sally Kern mentioned in her dialogue that the gay and lesbian community was attempting to reach out to the nation's children and she specifically mentioned 2 year olds. My daughter is 2 and I am most concerned that she will face discrimination, harassment and retaliation because of who her parents are. I have met with preschools and other programs regarding the programs offered to toddlers and have told them directly that my daughter has same-sex parents. I asked one school owner whether there were other families like us at the school. She responded that it was none of her business and further commented that my daughter appeared loved. I asked another school owner whether he could foresee any issues arising related to our family's make-up and he shrugged his shoulders and said "It's a free country, I suppose."

From my perspective, there is a great deal of misconceptions related to our community. Sally Kern is but one example. Here is my letter, I hope it finds a more understanding audience here:

From: Elisa Stewart

Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 7:57 AM

To: sallykern@okhouse.gov

Subject: I'm Listening

Dear Ms. Kern: I do not think you really understand the harm you cause with your words. Do you know the suicide rate among teenagers who struggle with issues of being gay is higher than among any other group of teens? Why do you suppose that a gay teenager would want to kill themselves over being gay? Could it be that there are people like you, in the public eye, who consider homosexuality on par with terrorism or cancer? Why do you suppose a male teenager picked up a gun, took it into his school, pointed it at another male teenager and pulled the trigger causing his death? He did it because the victim had asked him to be his valentine. Why do you suppose he felt that killing this teenager was the only way to deal with the situation? Could it be because there are people like you, in the public eye, who say that being gay is wrong, that it is evil, that it is a threat to humanity? I am a 38 year old woman. I am a successful attorney. I have a beautiful family. And I happen to be gay. I am not a terrorist. I am not a cancer. I lead a happy and productive life. I pay taxes and do not receive equal benefits. I worry mostly that my daughter will run into someone like you one day. That someone will send hurtful and irresponsible words her way. That someone will point a gun at her and point the trigger because they believe as you do. I don't care what you think. But I care what you say -- what you spread. I am listening.

Elisa Stewart
Freehold, N.J.
Write a letter to Advocate.com or The Advocate >