A woman in England is getting parenting lessons from Little Mix fans after she objected to a gay couple’s engagement at one of the pop group’s recent concerts.
“Hera,” who has 46 followers on Twitter, tweeted at Little Mix following their show in Manchester on Nov. 15.
“First and last time at your gig,” she wrote. “A staged gay marriage proposal and kissing, my 6 year old lad asking me questions now. Youve (sic) taken that innocence away from my kid and my rights as a parent to tell him in my own time about them things #shameonyou.”
Later, she tweeted: “In the program didn’t say anything about a staged proposal where two men would be kissing for all to see or we wouldn’t have taken him. Went and paid to see the band perform nothing else.”
Little Mix stopped the show to allow a male fan to propose to his boyfriend in front of the crowd. Thousands of fans cheered.
Hera said she wouldn’t have taken her son if she had known there would be “two men would be kissing for all to see.” She tweeted: “Went and paid to see the band perform nothing else.”
Fans immediately jumped on Hera.
“Nobody’s innocence is stolen from them by seeing a gay couple in love,” tweeted one person. “His innocence will only be compromised if you instill hatred and bigotry in him at such a young age.”
Another opined: “If your child is six years old and he doesn’t know that sometimes men love other men (and women love other women), it is you who should be feeling shame. Do better.”
Podcast host Holly Shortall weighed in. “I find it fascinating how some parents will go to great efforts to lie to their kids about the existence of Santa, the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny for years,” she tweeted, “but can’t face explaining the very simple and normal concept of same sex love / marriage?”
Self-described equality advocate Ruth Walker-Cotton tweeted: “Has your kid ever seen straight people kiss? Or heard that straight people get married? I imagine so. It’s really no different, in terms of ‘innocence.’ It’s great your son is asking questions, not sure why it’s ever too early to tell him anyone can fall in love.”
Others wondered if Hera would have had the same complaint about a man proposing to a woman. “Would you have felt the same if it was a heterosexual marriage proposal? Because if not then that's homophobia lovie,” one person tweeted. Another wrote: “What's awkward is that you would never have said a word if it was a straight couple. I feel sorry for your son to have a mother like you.”
Tom P., one half of the newly engaged couple, tweeted at Hera: “Lol thanks hun. This wasn’t staged and we’re very much engaged. I hope your son gets to experience real, unprejudiced love in his lifetime too.”
Lol thanks hun. This wasn’t staged and we’re very much engaged. I hope your son gets to experience real, unprejudiced love in his lifetime too ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LsXbLqbsUX
— Tom P (@PWTommyP) November 16, 2019