The academy award winning actress Sally Field isn’t only a great at her job, she’s awesome at being a mum, too.
In a recent interview with SiriusXM the 69-year-old mum of four boys opened up about raising her gay son, Sam Greisman. She revealed that though her son struggled with his sexuality, she strived to support him the best way possible, in whatever way he needed.
“Sexuality is a human, glorious part of existence,” said Sally in the interview. “In Sam’s case, certainly, nature told him what to be. It wasn’t something he looked to be, and he found it difficult to grapple with. I welcomed him to welcome himself, and find that part of his life.”
Sadly, not all parents are as accepting and Sally said those who don’t accept their gay kids “horrify” her.
But she hopes they realize that accepting and loving their LGBT kids is the most important thing they can do.
“Some people actually shut their children out of the house when they’re young,” she said. “They’re teenagers — they’re having a hard enough time trying to… own any part of sexuality. I’m still trying to figure it out!”
“Don’t be frightened, and don’t put your own prejudices or fears about sexuality on your children.”
As for what advice she’d give LGBT parents, Sally said, “Don’t be frightened, and don’t put your own prejudices or fears about sexuality on your children. It’s not against nature if nature has actually done this. Sam was always Sam, this wonderful human that he is, from the time he was born.”
This is not the first time she has expressed her views about raising LGBT kids.
In 2014, she wrote an open letter about her son’s journey and how she hopes to end LGBT discrimination by doing her part in encouraging donations to the Human Rights Campaign.
And in 2012, the HRC recognized her efforts by giving her the Ally for Equality Award.
In her acceptance speech, she referred to raising her son as “one of the great privileges” of her life.
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