This is another reason why I love my kooky Korean mother to death.
(on the phone)
Mom: (in Korean) So Beth,I was thinking, maybe this winter vacation me and Alice go on a cruise!
Me: Oh really? Which cruise are you going to take?
Mom: (in English) Well, I recently meet this homosexual man, and his, his...
Me: Partner?
Mom: Yes, their life is interesting! One of them teaches art at UBC.
Me: How did you meet them?
Mom: Ohh I don't know, I didn't ask them such personal detail...
Me: No, but how did YOU meet them?
Mom: Well, one of them has liver cancer, and I take care of him...anyway, they go on many cruises! And they give me so much good information. Beth, do you have pen? Write this down: "cruise specialist," and phone number is 800 544 2469.
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After this conversation, I marveled at the fact that this was probably the first time I have ever heard my mom speaking positively about gay people in my entire life. And for those of you in the know, yes this is the same woman who would "disown" me if I was a lesbian, and feared that my roommate in first year was going to "slither into my bed" one night (I swear I am not making this up).
I guess it all comes down to basic human interaction and its power to break down barriers. I mean, my mom doesn't actually hate or fear gay people, she's just never really met any. And look what happened: a simple conversation about the most banal of topics allowed her to see perhaps for the first time that this gay man is a decent human being, instead of whatever she imagined gay people would be like in her head (something I would pay money to find out, just for the hilarity).
Anyways, perhaps this is just the irrational and over-illusioned optimist in me, but it made me believe a little more in humanity.
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