Have you ever wondered what your children will think of growing up with two Mxms and the difference in their childhood? If you’re thinking about having children — or you already have a few — it’s totally normal to ask yourself: What is it really like to grow up with same-sex parents?
To answer the question, we took to Reddit, where, chances are, any answer to any question exists, including what folks think of their experiences growing up with lesbian or LGBTQ+ parents — and what we found was overwhelmingly positive and even put a smile on our faces.
To add a boost of positivity in a heavy news cycle, we’ve put together a heartwarming list of six real-life examples of LGBTQ+ parenting straight from real Redditors.
1. We really were and are just a normal happy family
"My mom moved us in with her friend and maintained that they were just friends far past the point where we all knew it was false. I think it was around 1998 when they actually came out together. Having gay parents in a late 90's/early 2000's small Midwestern town wasn't exactly the easiest. In the beginning, I was bullied constantly. My biological mom was a school bus driver, and my second mom was a teacher, so word got around pretty fast. We really were/are just a normal happy family, though. I would venture to say my upbringing wasn't any different than if it were in a heterosexual home. I had strong, positive male role models in my family and two loving parents. It has been really interesting watching the cultural shift from those days to the present in terms of how taboo it all was."
2. Honestly, it’s great!
“15-year-old with lesbian parents. I didn’t realize anything strange about it until 3rd grade. Honestly, it’s great; the only problem is being the only guy in the family.”
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3. It was cool to be a part of the gay revolution and see it from the inside.
"My mom is a lesbian, and I grew up with two "moms," so to speak. Growing up was really great. In the beginning, she had a few different relationships. They were kinda awkward, just because of the people they were with, not necessarily the situation. Now, she's been with her partner for as long as I can remember (20+ years?), and she's one of the greatest people you will ever meet. All in all, I grew up in a very normal family. The only thing that really stands out was the time when all of this was happening. Growing up in a homosexual family in the 90s was a bit different than today. It was cool to be a part of the gay revolution and see it from the inside. All the rainbow flags, the pride marches, the happiness, and the freedom were really cool. Although I'm not gay, I am very proud to be a part of it."
4. They understand most of my problems, and if they don’t, I can always talk to my friends
“I love it. I’m a guy I have two moms, and I haven’t run into an issue yet. They understand most of my problems, and if they don’t, I can always talk to my friends. It’s also really nice that they are completely different; one is a lot more fun and less serious about stuff but is great at talking about emotional stuff, and the other is a lot more reserved but is a lot more outwardly caring and great at life advice. The only time when it’s hard is talking to my friends about my parents; when I’m talking about both of them, it gets very confusing, so I end up just calling them by their first names.”
5. One of the reasons that I think they and a lot of same-sex partners are so good at being parents is because you really need to decide to have kids.
“My parents have been together for 30+ years now and had been together for a while before they had me. One of the reasons that I think they and a lot of same-sex partners are so good at being parents is because you really need to decide to have kids. Especially in the 90s, it was an ordeal, so they had to be committed to being parents from the very beginning. That’s why it was so great to see them finally be able to get married last year - that was a long time coming.”
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6. Overall, I think my childhood at home was no different than it would have been if I had straight parents.
"At home, having only had lesbian moms, I never felt different growing up because it was all I was accustomed to. I think my childhood overall at home was no different than it would be if I had straight parents. I did occasionally want a father figure to be able to talk to about guy-related stuff that I felt I couldn't really ask my parents, but my parents raised me just as well as I would've been if I had straight parents, and perhaps even better - I was taught from a young age that intolerance was never acceptable, and judging someone based on their race, creed, sexual orientation, etc. was wrong (my parents had experienced it enough)."