KFA and Family Pride Host Family Visibility Actions

Over Easter weekend, KFA and the Family Pride Coalition organized LGBT families to participate in Egg Roll events in Frankfort and Washington, D.C.

At the April 15 Egg Roll at the Governor's Mansion in Frankfort, LGBT parents and their children from as far away as Northern Kentucky joined us in rolling eggs and sharing family time.

"The response from the Egg Roll's organizers was overwhelmingly positive," said Christina Gilgor, KFA's Executive Director. "Event staff and state employees made us feel completely welcome. Two allied families even asked to wear our leis as a show of solidarity and support for diversity."

Cheryl Smith and Jennifer Meklenburg of Lexington brought their 3-year-old daughter Natalie to participate in the event. Jennifer admitted to being a bit nervous about attending and wearing the rainbow lei. "But," she said, "we have to show people that we're here, that we exist, and that we share many of the same concerns that opposite-sex parents have."

Cheryl agreed, saying, "We have to be recognized before we can be equal."

Marsha Smallwood and Tina Carter, who are adoptive parents, said they wanted to participate with their children as a way to resist discrimination.

"We hear so much about so-called 'natural' families," Tina said. "To me, there's nothing more natural than wanting to give a child a loving, permanent home, a chance to thrive."

The following Monday at the White House, LGBT families from across the country gathered to take part in a great American tradition.

"We had a really good time, it was a lot of fun," said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of Family Pride. She attended the White House event with her wife Cheryl Jacques and their four-year-old twins Tim and Tom. The Massachusetts residents are married.

"At the end of the day, everyone who was there was focused on one thing and that was their kids," she added. "That was exactly how we wanted the day to go."

Family Pride co-sponsored the Governor's Mansion event, providing us the same leis they wore on the White House lawn.

"We're extremely grateful to Family Pride for supporting us here in Frankfort, and including us in their national event," Christina said. "This is just the kind of coalition building that will spread fairness to every corner of the Commonwealth and beyond."