What Makes A Mother
I interviewed a teenager raised by two gay men. I asked her what makes a mother. What she said blew my mind.
To give you a little background, I met a thirty-two-year-old gay man who adopted a toddler with his boyfriend. They adopted a little girl. (I have kept the identity of the people secret for privacy reasons). It was lovely to see two guys taking care of a child. She is now 15 years old.
She comes home to two dads. I asked her about motherhood and what she thinks of her dads.
My parents are my mother and father. I have always found them by my side. While my real parents left me, I was raised by the kindest two people on the planet.
People say unless you are from the womb your pains are not heard. That is so wrong. My father Alex can know the moment I entered my period and took me to my teacher. He already arranged for such a time, my teacher showed me how to use tampons.
I don't think I missed much. They understand me much better than anyone I know. And I am no angel. They let me explore my identity as would anyone else. They keep me safe and inspire me to do things. I wonder what makes a mother different than they are to me.
I think we are too stuck on ideas about what our sexual organ is. Motherhood is not related to giving birth. Motherhood is an act of caring and being there. It's a role that comes with responsibility and I cannot think of a better mother.
