Dismay

Are any other parents of middle schoolers as dismayed as I am when you hear (or see) the homophobic language that is so rampant among that population?

I read Chris' Facebook wall occasionally, and I've been shocked and horrified to read the amount of name calling that goes on, supposedly in jest. Once in November, a so-called friend of one of Chris' Facebook "friends" hacked his account and put an obscene and homophobic photo on his profile, along with a supposed confession that he was a "faggot." This troubled kid has also gone on about hating his mother--publicly, on Facebook, for the whole world to see.

Of course, I go into overprotective mom mode and want to immediately defriend said person on Chris' account. As you have probably noticed if you're on Facebook, the younger generation friends just about everyone they know, whether they are close or not. Fortunately, Chris is not close to this kid. I just have to trust his own sense of compassion and let him come to his own conclusions. It's all a part of letting go as our teenagers grow up, and as a person who is passionate about justice and the power of language, it's hard, but I know I must.

I can only imagine what it must feel like for a gay teen or parent to hear or read such defaming language.