Family FUN Night

By Sarah Laducer
Contributing Writer

A few tears fell one evening, watching the Canadian film “Finn’s Girl.” The plot unfolds what might someday be a true story about a 21st century family.

The film’s main characters; Dr. Finn Jefferies, her long-term partner Nancy, and their eleven-year-old daughter Zelly Bean. Maybe a family with odd names, but a growing not-so-odd family status. [www.finnsgirl.com]

The explosion of similar family films, online magazines comparable to 10,000 Couples, adoption organizations representing gay or lesbian parents, and the publication of scientific research regarding the children of same-sex parents presents the obvious. Families are displaying their PRIDE more now than ever before. Perhaps their colors provide a lesson for us all. [www.10thousandcouples.com]

A new picture of this once-belittled family status has been painted by the publication of same-sex family research, the longest running research currently available. The children of lesbian parents outscored their peers on academic and social tests. Previous research highlights equal success, but does not offer the long-term picture. [Pediatrics,DOI:10.1542/peds.2009-3153]

Studies have also emerged from George Washington University, University of Virginia, New York University, and the University of Southern California highlighting similar results.

The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a research and advocacy organization based in New York, says over 100,000 children are awaiting adoption in the US. The Institute estimates around 65,000 live with gay or lesbian parents.

Notice a central theme? Families are everywhere, and not the family’s son, the dog, and the white picket fence. Some researchers and education experts describe this to be the crippling American myth, highlighting 5 percent of American families consist of a dad, mom, and child(ren). [Oxford Journals, “The Real-Life Myth of the American Family”]

Whether single parent, couples without children, or same-sex couples, the makeup of family has changed. Not changing, not evolving, but changed completely. It happened while you were sleeping, while you were looking the other way, or maybe you were a part of that change.

The couple who did not feel the pressure to have children, the single mom working to support her kids, the single dad doing the same. The children who are lucky enough to have two children who are loved by two moms, creates, not a white picket fence, but an open field that is much more inviting, especially to a kid.

Welcome the local community creation of Family FUN Night. A night for families to gather, regardless of status, even the family with the mom, dad, kids, dog and the white picket fence.

From bowling to non-stop laughter over games of ultimate Frisbee, these families gather together to do one thing- HAVE FUN. There is no dress code and no requirements for participation, as long as you know how to have FUN.

Even some individuals reluctant to have FUN are welcome. I didn’t think I would ever see the day watching my once homophobic conservative Christian parents laugh over a game of bowling with a very out gay couple, and even that occurred without either party noticing their differences.

While it only takes a few to discriminate, this fear and ignorance does not exist at FUN. One night a month we should all be able to set our political opinions aside and play Apples to Apples together. If you’re lucky, the local Native American Two-Spirit Nation even provides the delightful fry-bread (oof-da) tacos…mmm mmm good!

Hope to see you soon. We gather the fourth Saturday of every month. Locations vary; see http://www.pridecollective.com for updates and details. Or look for FUN—some say you can smell it in the air.