My Catholic mom and her two queer sons

[rug]

Arvie Lynn Cabral with her son Riley. COURTESY OF RILEY COLLINS

By RILEY COLLINS • 2 HOURS AGO

My mom and I are kind of the same person. Look at our muddy little eyes and how they crinkle when we smile. And our thick black hair, which we keep tied on top of our round heads. And our freckles, scattered on our wide cheeks.

Our cultural differences, though, can be tough to deal with.

I was born in Seattle, and I’m half white. My mom, Arvie Lynn Cabral, grew up in Santo Niño, Philippines. One of the biggest parts of her life from the start was the Catholic Church.

“Growing up we were just praying at night, me and my mother,” she said. “Where I grew up in the village, we don’t have a church but we have a nice, real altar for Mama Mary for my mother to pray.”

http://kuow.org/post/my-catholic-mom-and-her-two-queer-sons

6:16 audio at link.