Thanksgiving is an American Tradition. Except if you came out on the Thanksgiving before and you’ve been ostracized for being LGBTQIA+. There is no other country that celebrates it as we do. Actually, no other country celebrates it at all.
We as Americans celebrate the tradition of meeting new people and giving thanks and that they welcomed in our home. It started back during the time when the Pilgrims came to the New World and were greeted by the Natives. Together we gave thanks that we have met each other, respected each other’s culture and grew into the great nation we are today. As years go by that tradition has not wavered. Or has it?
As America grew with more immigrants from around the world, we find ourselves surprised that in their home country they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. We forget that the English colonized the New World. That the natives welcomed us into their home and provided us with turkey, corn, and mashed potatoes.
Today we still share this tradition of Thanksgiving. We go out of our way to welcome our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and even strangers to our homes and eat together. We make a big deal about giving thanks and sharing our meals with everyone. We plan in advance; we binge watch country cooks share their recipes that they inherited from the early pioneers. We trade on Pinterest secret recipes to share with our neighbors.
Except with our LGBTQIA+ children. The recently old tradition to come out on Thanksgiving, be kicked out, ostracized, left for dead and we end up eating alone.
Imagine being that child that grew up with so much hate and sitting in an empty diner eating alone. Wishing you were back home enjoying mom’s uncooked turkey, grandma’s greasy gravy, even have a piece of Aunt Lucille’s god awful ambrosia made with rum and old raisins. To be homesick and hungry for love and attention.
This Thanksgiving don’t spend it alone. Be the brave one and tell someone that you feel comfortable with that you would like to spend Thanksgiving with them. It’s okay to ask. It really is. You will be surprised at how many people would love to have you in their homes. They just don’t know if you would or if you might be offended. They don’t know. You do. Open up to them and you’ll see that not everyone is closed-minded, hateful, and ignorant. There are a few people out there that will take the time to get to know us, be with us, love us. We just have to open the door to their friendship.
Or this Thanksgiving, invite someone you know that is LGBTQIA+ that may be lonely to your home. You might get a chance to meet someone special. Show him or her that they made the right decision to live and love who they want. No one should be alone on Thanksgiving. Let’s put aside are homophobia and keep an open heart and an open home.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May you spend it with loved ones. I feel blessed that I am spending Thanksgiving with people that love me for who I am, gay and all. I wish the best for you.
