Freeheld

I want my parents to love my wife.

This is the overarching sentiment that this movie pulled out of me.
This movie is about two women, one dying, who wants to leave her pension to her partner under the Domestic Partnership Act. To think that all these people didn't want Laurel's partner to have a pension after 23 years on the force was insane. Love really is love. And honestly, I've never known a love that was more selfless, giving, or open than the way I loved her. I don't think that in the ideal of marriage, I'd be capable to love a man that way. I think that if marriage is what its supposed to be, you've got to love who you love or your love can't bloom into all God has called love to be.

It was like they couldn't see how serious being another woman's girlfriend was. I guess because heterosexual men often don't treat their girlfriends that well or value them that much, they couldn't see that without the ability to call a wife a wife, partner/girlfriend was the strongest language possible. Why?

Because equality.

When I walk into a room 8 years from now, an attending physician, and say "This is my wife Alex" everyone understands. The same is true when a man does it.

Words mean things. Its the right to use the same language that helps people see equality. You know I'm committed and legally bound to this person because she's my wife. There's an established standard for what wife means.

This movie was amazingly cathartic for me.
I always tell my sports med mentor, I like to emote during movies. I want a movie to pull out an emotion I can't usually muster because I think its good for me. She's a funny/blow things up movie person.
I hadn't really thought much about that lack of acceptance from my parents until I started crying during this movie and realized how much acceptance, especially by the people who you love, matters. I don't want to be tolerated. I want my parents to love my wife. I want them to love our kids, regardless of the uterus they grew in. I know this won't necessarily happen but I'm glad that I've got folk around me who will love her as well as respect and appreciate our marriage. God makes provision for the things He knows we need and want.

Freeheld....its a great movie. Watch it and feel the relief that we've come so far in this country.