After speaking Friday to CNN about a Missouri 5-year-old who dressed as Scooby-Doo's Daphne for Halloween, psychologist Jeff Gardere has apologized for saying it's a parent's "worst nightmare" to have a gay child.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation confronted Gardere on his choice of words, prompting his apology. In a letter to GLAAD, Gardere also addressed his criticism of Sarah, the boy's mother. Gardere said he wasn't passing judgment on Sarah for allowing her son to dress as a female, but on Sarah's decision to allow the story go viral via her blog. The letter and CNN video are below:
"On CNN this morning I participated in a discussion with a mother from Kansas City who was criticized for allowing her five year old son to dress as a female character from Scooby-Doo. I misspoke when I articulated that gay and straight parents would consider it their 'worst nightmare' to have a gay child. What I meant to say is that many gay and straight parents I’ve worked with have voiced concern when they believed they had a gay child because they worried that their children might face hostility and bullying from people who are anti-gay. My comments about the mother 'outing' her child were not related to his sexual orientation. I was questioning why she put her son’s photo out on her blog. I believe this mother has been very courageous in supporting her child. Her acceptance and unconditional love set an example for other parents in how to raise happy and healthy children. I sincerely apologize for the hurt and confusion that some of my comments have caused in the LGBT community. Moving forward I am seeking GLAAD’s counsel to ensure that I address LGBT issues with more due care in future interviews."
