Glitter & Razz Blog

In celebration of Sesame Street’s 40th Birthday, I can’t help but think back on all of the shows that formed my childhood.  I am definitely feeling old as I am having that “shows ain’t what they used to be” feeling going through my head.  PBS was just on fire with shows like Sesame Street and Mister Rogers.

Okay.  I know we are supposed to be celebrating Sesame Street, which I love and love the fact that it is still on TV for our kids after all of these years but…I LOVED Mr. Rogers.  Have you seen him recently?  Have you really listened to the lyric of his songs?

His lessons of peace and community and imagination and acceptance are mind blowing and nowhere else on tv or anywhere these days.  A Fred Rogers quote:

“We all have different gifts, so we all have different ways of saying to the world who we are.“

Today, I can’t help (as we are waking up to find yet another state in our country is trying to legally define love in just one way) but think about the lessons that we learned in our childhood from Big Bird and Mister Rogers.  They taught us that it was okay to be exactly who we are.  That who I am is special and perfect.

Now that we are grown up, what happened to that?  What was your favorite tv show from our youth?

In case you were wondering what marriage really is, Grover and his friend Jesse break it down for you.

I can’t believe it really happened.  The “voice of the people” won out even though that voice is unfair and discriminatory.  The argument is “but the people voted.  It must be right.”

I would like to appeal to all of the teachers out there to consider the following scenario.  You have a class of 12 kids.  There is one little boy whom 7 of the kids have decided that they don’t like and want to leave out of their group.  This little boy is friends with the other 4 kids.  You notice what is happening and ask what is going on.  “You can’t treat him like that,” you say in your best teacher voice.

“But Teacher,” the 7 say, “we took a vote.  7 of us want to exclude him and only 5 of us want to include him.  This is a democracy so we win.”

Now teachers, what happens now?  I know you know.  I know you would negate that vote for reasons related to “because I say so” because you are teacher and you are the leader of this classroom and you have a strong sense of the way your students should treat each other.

I am not saying that the majority of California voters are behaving immature or childish.  I could say that but, believe me, I am not.  What I am saying is that leaders (politicians, judges, etc) need to step up and insist on what is right and what is wrong behavior in a society just like a teacher does in her classroom.  We teachers are very clear on the fact that every student on our watch needs to feel safe, valued, and respected.  We understand that, above anything else, this is the most important rule in our classes.  And we enforce this rule at all times.  The California Supreme Court perhaps needs to take a lesson.

And now what?  The fight continues.  As a we move foward to get this back on the ballot in 2010, we should all find ways to do our part to make sure that fairness and respect wins out.  For those of you wondering how to engage your kids in this conversation, Family Equality Council has some excellent resources for kids and families on this subject.  Here is something that I am particularly interested in:

Become a Host of Play Dates with a Purpose™
Play dates provide a great opportunity to spread the word to other parents about Prop 8 and how it hurts families, as well as to tell them how they can Get Engaged in defeating Prop 8. Join other families who are transforming their regular weekend play dates for their children into Play Dates with a Purpose™.

I would love Glitter & Razz to become an host of these Play Dates.  Let me know if you would come.  And let me know what else we can do to help this cause.

My dad can be really cool sometimes.  Yesterday, he left me a voice mail message that went something like this:

My Dad with my niece at our wedding

Hi Lynn.  This is your father.  Just wanted to call and acknowledge you today.  Even though you and Allison don’t have biological kids of your own…yet…the work that you do at Glitter & Razz is supportive and nurturing to so many children.  You deserve to share in a piece of this day too.  My love to both you and Allison.

Cool, right?

The Youth of Destiny Arts Center

We LOVE Destiny Arts Center and you should too!  Destiny is an Oakland-based nonprofit violence prevention and arts education organization that has done incredible work with kidand youth of all ages for over 20 years.  Check out this amazing opportunity for LGBTQ Families with young children…

SAFETY THROUGH MOVEMENT | A 4-Week Series

Sifu Kate Hobbs, founder of Destiny Arts & 5th Degree Black Belt Kajukenbo, will lead this exciting series.

When: 4-week series, May 20th-June 10th, Wednesdays 10-11am
Where: Destiny Arts Center, 1000 42nd Street, Oakland, CA 94609
Registration: Call Destiny Arts Center 510-597-1619
Cost: $25/Family – No one turned away for lack of funds.

In partnership with Our Family Coalition, a Bay Area non-profit that promotes the rights and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer families with children and prospective parents through education, advocacy, social networking, and grassroots community organizing.