Woman Offers to Be Proud Stand-In Mom for LGBTQ Weddings, & Internet Falls in Love

Mom of two and author Sara Cunningham would be delighted to stand in for your homophobic parents at your wedding. So, don’t you worry if they’re planning to boycott — Cunningham’s got your back (and let’s admit it — she’s probably a lot more fun than your real parents anyway).

Cunningham, an ordained minister and passionate LGBTQ advocate, is fed up with fear and ignorance. It’s something she knows a little about, having a son who is gay.

"I thought, If my son is going to hell for being gay I’m gonna fight for him like my hair is on fire," she told BuzzFeed News. "Since then I’ve gotten educated and no longer believe that — so now I’ve [been] fighting for him and the LGBTQ+ community like my hair is on fire because I’ve seen the power of what fear and ignorance can do." 

Cunningham even wrote a book about her journey with her son and her subsequent advocacy, How We Sleep at Night: A Mother’s Memoir. The Amazon description reads: "A Christian mother comes to terms with her son being gay through a personal journey that starts with the Church and ends at the Pride Parade." 

Her advocacy extends beyond her own family, though. Cunningham is the founder of the nonprofit Free Mom Hugs — and she delivers those hugs to those in need at Pride events. "I’ll never forget a young lady that I met at a Pride parade. She said it had been four years since she received a hug from her mother and just had a meltdown right there," Cunningham told news station Oklahoma KFOR.

Cunningham has married couples all over Oklahoma since 2016 — including plenty of LGBTQ pairs. And on Friday, she decided to up her advocacy with a beautiful personal touch: She shared a post on Facebook stating that she would be happy to attend the same-sex weddings of couples whose parents refuse to support them. That’s right: a stand-in proud mama. How fantastic is that?

The post has been shared more than 7600 times, and the comment thread is a delight, with others stepping up to offer their own support and love:

"This Mama Bear is in Houston, but I’m also available to adopt any LGBT nomad in need of a Mom Home. You can vent to me or send me outfit options or cry about the asshole who broke your heart. And you’ll ALWAYS get a birthday card!"

"In Altoona PA here! I’ll Mom the crap out of you & your wedding!"

"There is so much love out here for y’all. We will make sure you can find it!"

"Anyone in the Baltimore area, I’m there for you. I will cry the most and cheer the loudest!"

So far, Cunningham has already received six official wedding invites, and we guess that number is going to climb considerably. She’s thrilled by the response to her post but not surprised. "People need hope — I sure do — and we need to be that for each other in any way, shape, or form. Hope never disappoints," she said.

So many onions in the air today. Uh, we mean, dust. Or pollen. Well, something. Kleenex, please.

Source: Read Full Article