A unique Father's Day celebration: How this LGBTQ couple honored the friend who made their family possible
"Will you be my sperm donor?" Not your everyday question between childhood friends. Yet, that's exactly what David Titterington's childhood friend and her partner, who are a gay couple, asked him. For David, who is also gay, the idea of fatherhood had never seemed like a possibility. This Father's Day, there are many 'modern families' like them who are celebrating the day in their own unique ways.
"Will you be my sperm donor?" Not your everyday question between childhood friends. Yet, that's exactly what David Titterington's childhood friend and her partner, who are a gay couple, asked him. For David, who is also gay, the idea of fatherhood had never seemed like a possibility.
This Father's Day, there are many 'modern families' like them who are celebrating the day in their own unique ways.
In Kansas, a unique Father's Day celebration is highlighted in an AP report.
On this special day, Jen and Whitney Wilson, residents of Kansas, will gather their three children ¡ª aged 9, 7, and 3 ¡ª and celebrate Father's Day at David Titterington's home. They come together to honor the man whose generosity made their family possible.
Like many LGBTQ couples, Jen, Whitney, and David have forged their own traditions around Father¡¯s Day, celebrating their unique family bond.
For LGBTQ individuals, single-parent households, and other nontraditional families, as well as those with complex family dynamics, Father¡¯s Day and Mother¡¯s Day can evoke feelings of pain and confusion.
According to Family Equality, between 2 million and 3.3 million children under the age of 18 have LGBTQ parents.
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"We now see families of all kinds, shapes, and sizes, and that¡¯s incredibly important," emphasized Cathy Renna, the communications director of the National LGBTQ Task Force. "It¡¯s not just important for us, but also for children to understand that families come in many configurations, all centered around love."
David Titterington reflected, "There are so many ways to be a father. On Father¡¯s Day, we get to celebrate all kinds of fathers."
Estimates of the LGBTQ population in India vary significantly. According to the Government of India's submission in 2012, based on self-declaration, there are "at least 2.5 million" LGBTQ individuals. However, activists suggest the actual number could be around 125 million people.
Despite these varying estimates, the LGBTQ+ community in India still does not have the right to marry, and parenthood remains largely inaccessible for most individuals within this community.
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