"Mommy, what do you call it when a man is in love with a man?"
I knew the question would come up eventually and I already planned a simple kid-level explanation but was muddled in my endeavors by the fact that her godfather - who happens to be single, in his late 30's, well-dressed, neat (get the picture?) - was over for a visit and was in the adjacent room. I felt REALLY on the spot then!
"It's called 'gay.' When a man loves a man or a woman loves a woman it's called being 'gay'. There are gay people all over the world." (To add a multi-culti spin, I felt obligated to add that factoid.)
"But I love Bobby," she continued. Bobby is a fellow 5-year old classmate, the object of her first - and surprisingly long-lasting crush. He is, naturally, the class "bad boy", cute, somewhat sullen and yet "too cool for school." In other words, he's the preschool Jaret Leto to her wide-eyed Clare Danes.
"Yes. You love boys and want to kiss boys so you are not gay." (Did I say that?!?)
"Oh. Ok. Now I get it." Case closed. Whew! That was easier than I thought.
"It's called 'gay.' When a man loves a man or a woman loves a woman it's called being 'gay'. There are gay people all over the world." (To add a multi-culti spin, I felt obligated to add that factoid.)
"But I love Bobby," she continued. Bobby is a fellow 5-year old classmate, the object of her first - and surprisingly long-lasting crush. He is, naturally, the class "bad boy", cute, somewhat sullen and yet "too cool for school." In other words, he's the preschool Jaret Leto to her wide-eyed Clare Danes.
"Yes. You love boys and want to kiss boys so you are not gay." (Did I say that?!?)
"Oh. Ok. Now I get it." Case closed. Whew! That was easier than I thought.
