I understand the calls for referring to us all as people without mentioning sex, religion, sexual orientation, race, or any of the other things that differentiates people as someone who is not white, heterosexual, cis-gendered, (fundamentalist) Christian, or male (WHCfCM). Doing so seems to separate us, and separation is a bad thing, right?
Not always. When the differentiation is used to call attention to the fact that everyone who is not WHCfCM is just as normal and worthy of being seen and celebrated as WHCfCMs are, the separation is needed. Rob Watson recently wrote about that in explaining why he blogs as a gay dad, preferring to specifically use that term instead of the more homogenous “dad”.
I write as one because gay dads are criticized, demoralized and discriminated against. I write as one because gay families are not yet seen as equal legally or socially. I write as one to give hope to any young LGBT people who are inspired to hold parenthood as a goal in their hearts.
Read the entirety of his wonderfully written piece on The Next Family.