This is a short shoutout to my dad

Who was always unorthodox, debated science and tradition, asked the hard questions,

& told me I might be wrong.

This is a shoutout to all dads

Who tell their daughters to enjoy their lives, who encourage their kids to be unafraid,

Be brave,

Be true to themselves, 

& be untraditional.

I want to thank the parents 

Who see the world changing and push their kids to embrace it.

Who are baffled and uncomfortable and still listen openhearted,

Because love feels so much better than being right.

I can’t imagine the balancing act.

Trust your kids but protect them. Listen but challenge them. Accept them but teach them. Support but don’t enable them. It’s impossible, but you do it anyway. 

So I want to thank my dad

Who always did his best, and who simply said “who cares?”, not with disdain or with fear, because what he meant was that my partner’s gender

Is a drop in the ocean of who I am. 

And wouldn’t you know it - he was right after all.