A Mom's Wish For Mother's Day

In a New York Daily News op-ed published today, Long Island mom Iris Blumenthal talks about her two sons, one of whom is gay. Iris has a simple Mother's Day wish.

Michael's marriage to Teri was a given and politics never entered the equation — of course they could marry! They were in love and had chosen each other, till death do them part. Jonathan's relationship, on the other hand, requires a lot of explanation and even more paperwork. He is denied the rights and protections civil marriage provides.

Even children understand that this is unfair. Michael and Teri's two sons, both years away from voting age, have written to their state senators for help - they want to see Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Eric get married, here in our home state of New York and in front of their friends and family. And so do I. Because what matters — the only thing that matters — is love. And that is universal. It's time that marriage was universal, too.

This Mother's Day, I don't want another scarf. I don't want any flowers. My dear son can't give me the gift I want now — he's done all he can do. Who would have thought that the best gift this mother could ever receive would come from the New York Legislature? It's time to pass marriage equality legislation. I've got a wedding to plan.

Read the full essay.