On Monday, a mother named Stevie shared a moment of vulnerability with her online babywearing group, seeking support during a time of insecurity. By the end of the week, the support has gone international! Photos of the movement have been posted below to share the love. To learn more about the #gaywithstevie movement, click
here.
Since the original incident, Stevie has finally gone out for the first time with her son while babywearing with her dream wrap. Doesn't she look absolutely radiant?
Here is her statement regarding the #GayWithStevie Movement:
When I posted about my insecurity in the Girasol Love #alltherainbows group, I anticipated some words of encouragement as the babywearing community is known for. Had I known that it would turn into a "movement", I would have... Done my hair at least (Insert laughing face here). I have struggled deeply with feelings of embarrassment my entire life and after becoming a mother, I have been even more scared for the potential persecution of being a gay parent. As many wrapaholics know, the Girasol Double Rainbow Crema weft is highly sought after for its elegance and beautiful colors. The diamond weave makes it even more stunning and I had been wanting one ever since I dove into the crazy and amazing world of woven wraps. I never thought I would actually own one because they tend to be sold for a much higher price than has ever been in my budget. This summer has been incredibly difficult for me as I am in the middle of a divorce from my (soon to be) ex-wife and was forced to move 1,000 miles away from my sunny Orlando home and back to a conservative town in Maryland with my parents.
My extended family has always been very involved in the Christian and Baptist churches, and I was brought up being taught that gay people were sinful and bound for Hell. I was a somewhat troubled teen and ended up in a evangelical Christian boarding school called New Horizons Academy for my junior and senior year of high school, and that only cemented my fear of ever being "out". If any of you have seen the documentary called Kidnapped for Christ, that was my school. They had campuses in Indiana, Ontario, and The Dominican Republic (which is where the documentary was filmed). I attended both the Indiana and Ontario campuses. It is a kind of Christian based, military style, "therapeutic" boarding school. It has since been shut down but reopened under a new name and in a new location to avoid bad publicity. I didn't even come out to myself until my senior year and I kept my sexuality hidden because many of the students who were known to be gay or bisexual had a much harder journey in that school. Many students were sent there by their parents simply for being gay and were sent to be "converted". I was sent there because I was caught the first time I got drunk and my parents were scared that I would follow in other relatives' footsteps who had experimented with drugs among other destructive things in their teens. What was promised to be a "month or two" turned into a 14 month stay until I graduated. We were taught to be ashamed of what made us different and to conform to the evangelical Christian standard of gender roles. When I finally was able to go home, I hid my new found sexuality from my parents until I was 19 and knew that they couldn't send me back. I had begun college in North Carolina where I could be exactly who I wanted to be without fear of my family's disapproval, and I had built new confidence in myself. Being the only gay person in a Christian family is really difficult. Once I got married, most of my family became distanced from me for one reason or another but when you're the only one who is "different", it becomes easy to question their intentions. Fast forward 7 years and I am a single, gay mother trying her hardest to raise a confident child in a not always encouraging world.
When I found that wrap at I price I could afford, I was elated but also nervous at the same time. I don't "play straight" but I also don't walk around flaunting my sexuality to everyone I meet. I was concerned that this wrap, being a rainbow, might be viewed as my own personal pride flag which was far from the truth. After I received it, my son was having trouble falling asleep for his nap so I excitedly wrapped him up in my new Gira and walked downstairs to get him a bottle. As soon as I entered the kitchen, I saw my mother standing there and I walked up and said, "Look! Snug as a bug in a rug!" To which she replied, "You look gay as shit!" And I immediately felt defeated. I tried to explain that it was a highly sought after wrap and that it had nothing to do either being gay but she isn't knowledgeable of the babywearing world and she didn't give her joke a second thought because she and I have always joked around and teased each other. If she had known that I was already feeling insecure, I know that she would have never made the comment because she is the opposite of homophobic and she has never been one to poke fun at my insecurities. My mom truly is an incredibly supportive mother and her smile and joyful spirit are contagious. I didn't confront her about her comment because I knew that she meant no harm and it was my own doubts of confidence that caused my sadness. So I took my pain to the "Girasol Love #alltherainbows" group and what began as a discouraged mom looking for confidence ended with a proud mom feeling as if she can take on the world. I have made dozens of new friends and have felt more kindness and generosity than I have ever felt in my life. And a new wrap being named after me? I never even thought I would find a key chain with my name on it, let alone a WOVEN! I cannot express how truly grateful I am for the babywearing community and I hope that the Gira Love never stops building up families across the world. Thank you everyone for being #gaywithstevie! This is a ride that I will never forget.
Here is just a small sample of the beautiful and incredible support the #gaywithstevie movement has generated. Black or white, gay or straight, male or female, the support is never ending!
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| Proud to be a member of the #gaywithstevie support movement! Love without limits:-) |
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| Love is love! |
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We are #gaywithstevie because everyone deserves a life full rainbows smile emoticon
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| proud members of the #gaywithstevie movement. We love without condemnation.. |
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I'm a#Biasshit mama married to a man. Sorry that people are giving you crap for the way you were born frown emoticon
One day things will be different. I feel it. ❤💛💚💙💜
Until then, stay strong. And fuck what people think about your preferences. |
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| #gaywithstevie. Sharing and forever supporting the love in Europe. Love is NEVER wrong! |
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| Rocking our Gira Chakras rainbow! Totally#gaywithstevie and PROUD OF IT. |
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| The whole #gaywithsteviething has reminded me of my brother (rip) who used to say "everyone's a little gay". The perfect response to people who thing "gay" is a bad word. |
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| #gaywithstevie Rainbows are the best part of a cloudy day! I am proud that rainbows represent nothing but LOVE! |
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| #gaywithstevie I'm an Ally and volunteer at our local GLBT Advocacy and Youth Services nonprofit! I specifically wanted a rainbow wrap to show my support for the community and will raise my Rainbow Baby with nothing but love in her heart!!! |
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| Like a rainbow, love is bold, and unmistakable and not to be ignored. Find your rainbow, let it shine, it will bring you light even in your darkest times. |
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| May this world be a place filled with rainbows and positivity empowered by those proud to be on their own skin and we can all be #gaywithstevie just because we love our children regardless of sexually |
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| #gaywithstevie My family loves being #gayasshit. Maybe even #gayerthanshit. So here's what I really want to say: Love is love. Love makes the world go round. Love keeps smiles on people's faces and joy in our hearts. The color of love IS a rainbow no matter who you love! |
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| We are #gaywithstevie. Name: Stacy Dow. Raising my girls with zero expectations about gender identity or sexual orientation!!!! To be LGBT allies and advocates. And strong warrior women!!!! |
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My son believes rainbows have no sexuality or gender, and that everyone deserves to be comfortable in their own skin.
#gaywithstevie |
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| My son and I being #gayasshit. My family and I support your cause, even my husband 😊 As I said before, my sexuality plays no part in my color preferences. #gaywithstevie |
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| I love wrapping my daughter in a rainbow. She is cradled in beauty and love and always looks fashionable in our #gayasshit magical Gira! I'm forever going to be #gaywithstevie in this baby! |
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| Doing some yoga and being #gaywithstevie because the light inside of me sees and honors the light inside you. |
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| #gayasshit times 2. Our house is covered in rainbows for many reasons. My babies are my rainbows, we are proud allies, and rainbows are just cool as shit. We are proud to be #gaywithstevie |
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| We support #gaywithstevie this is my Rainbow Baby Evie! We were told we couldn't have any more after our first who was also a rainbow baby after two losses!#loveislove I would consider myself a Christian who supports people who love each other no matter their race, gender, religious beliefs or ethnicity! The rainbow signifies Gods promise. His love! I think he just wants us to be happy with whom ever we choose to intimately share our life with! ❤💛💚💙💜 |
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| #gaywithstevie |
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| I am a hijab wearing Muslim and I am #gaywithstevie 😘 (not a Gira, but still a gorgeous rainbow) My daughter loves her rainbows too! We must be #gayasshit |
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