When I think of Provincetown, MA, images of muscle bears, harnesses and nude beaches immediately come to mind. Indeed, the gay Mecca that is Provincetown has earned itself quite the reputation.
But consider this: Some 3% of gay men and 19% of lesbians report having a child under the age of 18 living at home. And, according to recent data published by San Francisco’s Community Marketing, Inc., “family-friendly” is the top consideration and criteria for these gay travelers.
Enter Provincetown’s annual Family Week. Back in 1996, a New Jersey couple brought their two children to Provincetown for a vacation. After meeting a number of other gay parents, the couple invited 15 families to their rented home for dinner. For the children of LGBT parents, it was an amazing opportunity to see other families like theirs. The gathering became an annual event, growing each year in size and scope.
From 15 families to a few thousand, Family Week 2012 will be held from July 28 – August 4. It will feature workshops, programs, entertainment and beautiful, loving families from all across the globe. In fact, you can even check out a slideshow of last year’s Family Week.
Family Week isn’t just for gay families, either. While it’s estimated that 85% of attending parents identify as LGBT, there’s a growing contingent of straight attendees. Jennifer Chrisler, Family Equality Council’s executive director, noted the changing demographics: “I think gay families are more willing to bring their straight family members along, whereas 10 years ago this is something they would have kept to themselves.” In other words, bring your friends and your relatives. Family Week is for everyone.
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending Family Week as a volunteer (and future daddy!). For me, the highlight was the annual parade of families. Proud children marched along with their parents, touting signs like, “I love my lesbian mom.”
The experience was nothing short of transformative—and I couldn’t help but think that Family Week attendance should be a requirement for the James Dobsons and Fred Phelps of the world. I think even the loudest haters would quickly realize that chastising these families is a waste of time and energy that could better be spent addressing the real problems of this world—like hunger, homelessness, poverty, genocide and famine.
Indeed, love makes a family. There is nowhere that’s more obvious than at Provincetown’s Family Week.
For more information and event details, stay tuned to the Family Equality Council website.
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