via Religion Dispatches, by Candace Chellew-Hodge
When President Obama issued his statement this past weekend in recognition of Father's Day, he mentioned one class of fathers that no other president before him has acknowledged: gay dads.Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a stepfather, a grandfather, or caring guardian.
His acknowledgement of the labor of love two men may put into their relationship with their children drew quick reaction from the "pro-family" but anti-gay set. Christian Broadcasting Network White House Correspondent David Brody tsk-tsked the president, warning he's alienating religious folks:
First of all, by putting "two fathers" in your proclamation you are really running the risk of alienating networks of pastors and church goers who may buy into the President's overall but draw the line when it comes to traditional marriage. You put these normally supportive pastors in a tough situation because the fact of the matter is the whole 'two fathers' scenario DOES NOT play well in most Churches in America. And that is completely understandable.
My first reaction to that concern was, "welcome to our world." The LGBT community has been alienated from most of the world for the majority of history, so pastors and churchgoers who balk at the president's words can enjoy, just for a moment, our reality. Alienation is something we're familiar with — kicked out of our families, kicked out of our churches, fired for being who we are, denied housing for being who we are, denied the rights and responsibilities of marriage. You want alienation? Mr. Brody, the line starts behind me.
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