The photo of my mother at wrestling is her reading the guide book about the history of the Gay Games and the Federation. Twelve years ago when I attended my first Gay Games in Amsterdam, she was not supportive, at all, and very upset at the idea. I had just come out to her earlier that same year, at the age of 20.
This year, she and her best friend (both of them Mormon) are driving around Europe and stopped in Cologne to watch me play water polo, watch my friend Perry Bigley wrestle (he won silver for his age/weight), and see some of the other events as well. My mother, who voted "yes" on Prop 8 in California two years ago, got to meet so many friendly lesbian and gay athletes and spectators, and had such a positive experience while here.
I don't know if the experience will have changed her politics at all, but I can imagine it has given her a greater perspective towards tolerance and acceptance.
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