Two lesbians raised a baby and this is what they got
Mama media
By
on December 01, 2011
21
Zach and his moms. Photo used courtesy of the NOH8 Campaign.
Several of you have sent in this video of nineteen-year-old Zach Wahls, who was raised by two women alongside his biological sister (they share the same donor). Zach addressed the Iowa House of Representatives in February 2011. While we linked to the video in May 2011, it's definitely worth a repeat mention:
About Stephanie Kaloi
Stephanie is a wedding and lifestyle photographer and the Managing Editor of Offbeat Mama. She spends the rest of her time with her husband and son, working on photography projects, blogging, and selling vintage clothes on Etsy.
Sarah said
How much of a crush do I have on this boy after seeing that? And his moms, too!
Zan said
It's so rare for people to be able to memorize a speech like that (I am assuming he's not also an actor?) so kudos not just on the content of the speech but on the amaaaazing public speaking skills! Hooray for rhetoric!
lily said
I know. It sounds like a sermon.
Jen said
I'm so watching this when I get home!
Kristen said
I was somewhat confounded by this going viral a second time, since I remember watching it back when it was posted, and seeing him on Ellen and all. But like you said, worth a repeat!
Ariel Meadow Stallings said
I'll never totally understand how viral waves work. I'm reminded of when the "Wedding cake shaped like bride" story went viral a second time this spring, THREE YEARS after the story was first reported.
Jen said
As the daughter of two moms for the overwhelming majority of my life, I love this guy. He says exactly everything I have thought about being raised by a gay couple. The way I turned out has nothing to do with my parents sexual orientation any more than it does for any other person on the street.
BKC said
I'm crying. Anybody else crying?
Whitney said
Yep, me too.
Zinfandelina said
Me too. I totally bawled my eyes out watching this one.
Bex. said
BKC, I cried too. I would be so proud to call the guy my son.
Gwen said
He just finished doing a Q&A on reddit here: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/c…_two_moms/
I love him and how he describes his growing up. He is so mature, and his family is so strong!
sarah said
I think this is a totally awesome video, inspiring in a ton of great ways.
I also think, though, that it's worth repeating something that a lesbian woman wrote on a facebook post of this video:
"straight people don't have to prove 1. that they'll have kids, and 2. that their kids will be amazing geniuses in order to be granted rights. I'd like to reserve the right to raise a mediocre child (perhaps even a shitty kid), or no child at all, and still be granted status as a person of worth."
I think it's great and important that this kid is speaking up and being so convincing. I don't want to undermine that at all.
But it's important to remember that it should be perfectly valid for two moms to raise ANY kind of kid. And if somehow that kid, like plenty of kids raised by heterosexual parents, despite their best efforts turns out to be a hoodlum or a jerk, or even if he's simply not as clear a display as this young man of conventional masculine success, we need to remember that that too has nothing to do with the parents' sexual orientation.
Evee said
I totally agree with you. I think that parents should be able to be parents, no matter what the gender of their coparent, or even if they don't have one. But the point of this video is that certain people, people who make laws for the rest of us to follow, somehow think that by having parents of the same gender will automatically, inherently harm a child. That two mothers couldn't possibly raise a son at all, let alone a son who is so accomplished as this young man. I agree with you whole-heartedly that if this kid had turned out a delinquent, the gender of his two parents wouldn't have made a difference. But there are some who would have gone down that road. This video is addressing those people, who don't believe that lesbians or gay men can raise children at all, and turning that thinking on it's head. It needs to start somewhere before gay parents are accepted by the hard-core conservatives.
Kelly said
Great speech. Not sure how he manages to leave out one of his greatest accomplishments though, he's in the Diamond league in Starcraft 2!
Blake said
Of course I'm crying! What a thoughtful young man. I don't care if my daughter grows up to have such strong public speaking skills, or if she makes scores on the ACT that put her in the ninety-ninth percentile. What I hope is that she looks back on her life with her two moms and feels just as happy, loved, and supported as this young man clearly does. Isn't that what we all want for our kids?
Andrell said
I still don't get it. I mean, the reason behind saying no to same-sex marriage is religion. Seperation of Church and State should therefore overwhelming say same-sex is legal. I'm so confused as to why it is so opposed. I mean, just because its legal doesn't mean die-hard religious people will suddenly be 'turned gay'.
Aside from that point, I love this video and his points!
donteatmenooo said
The problem is, a lot of the more vocal religious (the Church part of the Church and State) don't WANT a separation of Church and State, which means they push very hard to oppose things like gay marriage which should, as you point out, be perfectly legal. And there are so darn many of them, and man do they make a noise.
donteatmenooo said
And (I wanted to add), those same people against gay marriage are often a lot more similar to the "average Joe" who may not have originally had an opinion either way, that even those people tend to be swayed by the vocally religious. Ugh.
Kathleen said
That is an exceptionally moving speech. So well spoken, put together and mature for 19! Definitely a credit to his parents. Incredible.
Bethany said
Wow…what an incredibly well spoken young man! I started crying at the end of his speech. :')