If the term “egg roll” brings Chinese restaurants to your mind, then I’m not alone. But the annual event held at the White House the day after Easter (Easter Monday?) will be a little different this year anyway, so that’s O.K.
That’s right, gay moms and dads and their children are invited to attend the White House Egg Roll.
Representatives from Family Equality Council, Human Rights Campaign, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and other groups confirmed they were invited and encouraged to have their members participate.
“The Obama administration actually reached out to us as an organization, and said we want gay families there, and they are an important part of the American family fabric,” said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Boston-based Family Equality Council, which is helping spearhead the effort to organize families to attend.
In the very recent past, things were a bit different.
In 2006 during the Bush administration, more than 100 gay families attended the egg roll in part to make the statement that they should be welcome. Some conservatives accused gays and lesbians of trying to “crash” the event and turn it into forum for ideological politicking.
In 2006 during the Bush administration, some conservatives accused gays and lesbians of trying to “crash” the eventThis year already feels different, said Colleen Gillespie of Brooklyn, who helped spark the 2006 effort.
“We feel so welcomed and embraced, and that in a very real way, I think we can just go as a family and enjoy it,” said the 42-year-old assistant professor at New York University’s school of medicine, who is attending with her wife and their daughters, Ella and Zelda. “We don’t have to fight for our right to exist and be treated fairly.”
So what do you do at an egg roll? Apparently, you actually roll eggs across the White House lawn. Where I come from, an adult hid the eggs and then you tried to find them. It was called an Easter egg hunt. This egg rolling thing is a full-contact activity, according to the warning on the White House web site.
The White House Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878 and is an event designed to encourage children and their families to come outdoors and celebrate the start of the spring season. This year’s theme, ‘Let’s go play’, encourages America’s youth to lead healthy and active lives. The White House will open the South Lawn to children age ten and under, along with their families, to enjoy sports, cooking classes, live musical performances, storytelling and, of course, the traditional Easter egg roll. Please come dressed to be active and participate in all of the events.
Cooking classes? I wonder if they’ll whip up some Chinese.
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