There was an awesome moment during the BlogHer'13 Anatomy of a Story panel on Saturday when Vikki said, "Everybody needs a gay... and so I always think about, when I write on my blog, that I'm the gay for people that don't have one."
People started laughing and tweeting what she said because it was a great sound bite. But more importantly, Vikki spoke to the role we serve as niche bloggers.
We put ourselves out here to represent populations that are so often misunderstood and portrayed inaccurately by the mainstream media and even amongst our family and friends.
We try to educate and advocate to pave the way for those who will follow in our footsteps. We share our personal experiences in effort to make ourselves seem more human and approachable to those who otherwise might not feel comfortable interacting with us.
We get that people often don't know what to say to us and thus avoid us completely. It doesn't have to be that way. Attempting to create dialogue and change perceptions fuels our passion to write and reach out on behalf of those in our niches who don't have a voice or aren't ready to use theirs.
Yes, everyone does need a gay. I feel blessed and lucky to count Vikki and Casey among mine.
I also believe that everyone needs an infertile, a bereaved parent, someone with mental illness, a parent of a child with special needs, a friend who has cancer, you get the idea...
It is through sharing so openly about our experiences, whatever they may be, that we help to open minds and hearts to better understand and embrace what it means to walk in our shoes. I am willing to be your secondary infertile and your bereaved mother/friend.
So feel free to ask me anything and I will gladly answer. I might even write about it here.
What are you willing to be for me and others?
Who are you grateful for in your life that has helped you to better understand and appreciate underserved and disrespected segments of our population?
Kathy Benson
Blog: Bereaved and Blessed
Twitter: @BereavedBlessed