One woman鈥檚 viral Facebook post offering to stand in for any mother who refuses to attend her child鈥檚 same-sex wedding is inspiring others to step up with similar offers.
Sara Cunningham, of Oklahoma City, Okla., posted a message in July at any same-sex weddings.
鈥淐all me. I鈥檓 there. I鈥檒l be your biggest fan,鈥� she wrote.
The post quickly racked up thousands of shares and hundreds of emails to Cunningham 鈥� far more than she ever expected to receive.
鈥淚鈥檝e just been thrilled with the outcome,鈥� she told CTV鈥檚 Your Morning on Wednesday.
Advocating for people in the LGBTQ community in Oklahoma is nothing new for Cunningham. She describes herself as an 鈥渁ccidental activist鈥� who became involved in LGBTQ causes after her son, who was raised in a conservative church in a conservative state, began to identify as gay.
Cunningham started being asked if she would officiate same-sex weddings, and became ordained so she could do so.
The more same-sex couples she met, she says, the more she learned about couples whose families do not accept their relationships and refuse to attend their weddings. Those conversations led to her offer on Facebook.
鈥淎fter hearing story after story after story, I just posted it out of frustration,鈥� she said.
Cunningham says she is willing to travel 鈥渨ithin a reasonable distance鈥� to fill in for absent parents at same-sex weddings. People outside Oklahoma have also been in touch, offering to fill the same roles in other parts of the U.S.
She shares some of the responses she has received , with the permission of the people who sent them.
鈥淚 wish I had a mother like you. I鈥檓 sure you hear that a lot,鈥� one person wrote. 鈥淎ll I wanted my entire life was to make my mother proud. According to her, I鈥檓 going to Hell, ruining her health, ruining my life and making the worst decision to marry the one I love.鈥�
Cunningham is also the founder of Free Mom Hugs, a non-profit organization she started in 2015 after attending her local Pride festival while wearing a button bearing that phrase.
鈥淓veryone that made eye contact with me, I would say 鈥楥an I offer you a free mom hug?鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 went home that day covered from head to toe with glitter.鈥�
Whether doliing out hugs or playing substitute mom at a wedding, Cunningham says her goal is to help people in the LGBTQ community understand that they are not alone.
