My friend was having dinner with her husband and their two kids. Her four-year-old daughter told the family that the teaching assistant in her class, Ms. Tucker, has a wife. My friend responded by telling her that was wonderful and there’s all different kinds of love. Her son who was seven at the time interjected and said that a woman couldn’t be married to another woman because it’s illegal. My friend told him that wasn’t true and everyone is free to marry whomever they want.
My friend emailed the classroom teacher and said that her daughter told her about Ms. Tucker’s wife. She complimented her on how wonderful it is that they are so open in their pre-K class and how nice it is that they are willing to share their personal lives with the students. She told the teacher she was thrilled that they are teaching the children at such young ages that it is perfectly normal for women to marry women and men to marry men.
The classroom teacher emailed the mother back to let her know that, while they do fully support same-sex marriage and equality, Ms. Tucker is married—but it’s to a man named Paul and they have four kids together. When my friend asked her daughter why she made up the story about Ms. Tucker, she simply replied, “Well, she could marry a woman if she wanted to.”