Rainbow Families

This weekend is the annual Rainbow Families Conference. We have been to all but one of the conferences in the past 5 years. As we contemplated this year's conference, we perused the workshop offerings and felt that maybe, just maybe, we had outgrown the conference. We don't need Insemination 101. We don't need Protecting Our Families Legally because we have done all that we can do in that area. We don't really need to hear the Legislative Update when we keep up on the issues through mailings and action alerts. We dropped the brochure in the trash and figured that we would save ourselves the $110 it cost to attend. We have supportive families, progressive workplaces and live in a state, city and neighborhood where being queer isn't that remarkable. Our kids are lucky - their lives are filled with other children who have lesbian parents. Most of the time, this two mom thing is not a big deal for any of us. Sometimes, we take all of the comfort we have as a queer family for granted. We shouldn't have to be reminded that our comfort is a result of the work done by organizations like Rainbow Families. We shouldn't have to be reminded that we must support our queer organizations in any way that we can. We shouldn't have to be reminded that attending with our children will fill them with the same sense of pride that they feel when when march in that big parade in June. We shouldn't have to be reminded...but all that comfort can do funny things to people.  

So tomorrow, we'll join about 1,000 other people at the conference. If I were a famous blogger, I would offer branded "Up Popped A Fox" t-shirts to the first 10 readers that approached and asked me for my autograph. Thankfully, I'm not a famous blogger because my social awkwardness is well documented and I would probably tell you that your child looks simian but in the best possible way, not at all like George Bush, really. If you are going to the conference, though, you'll recognize me by the short hair and sensible shoes...which won't help you at all in this crowd.