Good for you Jena. I'm glad you and Eric stood your ground and sorry for what it cost you. This is one of those life lessons though, one that many of us have grappled with on many occasions, "do I stand up to small-mindedness or go along with the status quo?". You and Eric stood your ground with the help of his Mother and it cost you something, but it gained you something too. You now know that there are a lot of people here, and in other places too I'm sure, who appreciate the stand you took and stand with you because of it. You expressed concern over people who will hate you because of this. I suspect that those people are far fewer than you fear, but they may in fact be there. There are always people ready to hate others for any number of reasons or no reason at all. Don't focus on them. Be aware of them, keep track of them, but keep your focus on the things that you value and the people who support you.

I'm glad you posted here and let us know your view of things.

Jamie