Did you hate, fear or dislike gay people at one time?

[HockeyMom]

212. I grew up in Greenwich Village

I went to school down the street from the Stonewall when they still painted their windows black so nobody, including the police, could see inside. Macho teen boys would try "prove" manhood by beating up gays. Once as a preteen, I ratted them out when they told me what they had done.

My own parents were very much matter of fact. My Aunt divorced her husband and raised her son with her female partner in the 60's. My family just shrugged. As long as they both love him and he is being raised to be a responsible adult.

I cat sit at 10 years old (50's) for the gay couple upstairs when they went on vacation. My Mom brought leftover food to the older gay man who was grief stricken over the loss of his partner, his partner's family cruelty, and who locked himself in his apartment and would not leave it.

A gay professional photographer, who lived upstairs, took my Prom pictures for free. I remember he said it was because we were his neighbors, and he very much liked our family.

Everyone was not like this in the Village back in those days, as they still aren't in 2015. I was very fortunate to have parents like mine.

Today I consider myself just as fortunate, blessed if you will, to have a wonderful, happily married lesbian daughter, and an absolutely great DIL.