Love Does Indeed Make a Family: First Presbyterian Church of Waltham LGBT Family Exhibit
What I like most about First Presbyterian Church of Waltham is that they hold Christ and the Bible as their standard but understand that God’s “box” is much bigger than most of us can comprehend and so, without compromising the faith, those of us who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are welcomed with open arms. And so, when I was invited to the opening night of an exhibit they are hosting, “Love Makes a Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People and their Families” (I wrote about this exhibit at Beck’s Cafe here), I was quite excited to go.
The exhibit is housed in the Oasis Gallery at First Presbyterian. This hardwood floored multi-use space often houses various art exhibits and had been the home for the outstanding Oasis Folk Cafe in the past. A question by my more conservative Christian readers might be “why the arts” and of course the reason is that God is sovereign and involved in the arts as He is in everything in our world.
The exhibit has about 20 or so large, black and white, photographs of LGBT families from across the wide spectrum. From single mom’s, to FtM dad’s, to two dads with kids, the portraits also contain a paragraph, presumably in the words of the families portrayed, saying something about their family. The exhibit was eye-opening in many ways since you don’t often see our community displayed in such an every day, pedestrian way. One family noted that once their neighbors clearly saw the couple were out mowing the lawn, taking out the trash and rustling kids like any other family, barriers began to fall down, play dates ensued, potluck dinners followed and life was remarkably….normal.
Because it was opening night, there were two speakers (and rockin’ great coffee afterwards!) One couple was from a Presbyterian and Unitarian background, while a second speaker was Jewish (and her partner was home with the kids!). The Jewish speaker, a cantor in her synagogue, spoke of the slow acceptance of her and her partner by her family turned to open arms when the grandchildren arrived, (funny how kids change everything for families that care about their kids). She continued with how her family’s life was really similar to all of those in her neighborhood. How she often had to line out the request for Father on various school forms to be replaced by Mother, or Second Parent. Encouragingly, those same forms often came back the next year with “Parent 1″ and “Parent 2″ in the box instead. She told a poignant story of the call she got from the school principal inviting her and her daughter to a “mother and daughter” dance. The speaker knew it was a “Father and Daughter” dance, but, she was deeply touched the school to the time to honor her family.
The Presbyterian speaker, a woman from the Philipines whom I had the pleasure to share coffee with afterward, told her family’s story as well. She talked of working hard to suppress who she was only to realize years later that such attempts, while sincere, honest and in some cases noble, were futile (my how all our stories are similar aren’t they?). She talked about meeting her partner and, after travelling around the world, having a child and settling down. She noted how remarkable it was that when she and her spouse were married that nothing happened! No families broke up, no terror was unleashed on the institution of marriage in Massachusetts, instead, she was married and started a family. In conversation later over coffee, she shared how her parents had to travel a long journey themselves in their faith and acceptance of her but she was beaming a smile in saying they did accept her and her family fully.
The exhibit, Love Makes a Family, is concise but excellent. I would highly encourage you to stop by and see it. You won’ t be WOWED by some multi-media presentation, but, its special appeal is in its plain simple truth; love makes a family. Other viewings will be held on Mondays from 4:30 – 6 p.m., Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. and Sundays from 3-5 p.m. until April 4. Click this link for directions to First Presbyterian Church of Waltham
