Usually, LGBTQ couples aren’t supported by their family for weddings. Hence, Dan Blevins started a tradition of stand-in parents in such marriages.
LGBTQ couples, who do not receive the love, warmth and acceptance from their families, are usually found alone at their weddings. Thus, Dan Blevins started a tradition of “stand-in” parents so that the LGBTQ couples do not miss the presence of their parents on their special day.
What did Dan Blevins do?
To make this happen, Dan brought along thousands of “stand-in” parents from around the world who would act as parents to LGBTQ couples.
A dad and a hairdresser, Dan Blevins, started the tradition on the social media platform Tik Tok, where he shared an invitation to invite help for the LGBTQ community. Many people turned up to help and stand as “stand-in parents”, and a whole new community with more than 33,000 members got established on Facebook for same.
How did the idea strike him?
It was back in 2018 when Dan Blevins’s daughter got married. He was the one who walked her down the aisle, and that’s when it strikes him what people go through if their parents reject their love and are not present with them at their weddings.
In a viral Tik Tok video, Blevin was seen talking to LGBTQ couples and affirming them that he would assist the duo if their biological parents decided not to attend their wedding and be unsupportive.
He says that if we wouldn’t be able to attend their big day as a “stand-in parent”, he has friends who would do the same for them. Talking about his inspiration, he said that the founder of the LGBTQ advocacy group inspired him to show his love and support to the LGBTQ community.
Initially, he began standing as a parent in their marriages and later, other parents joined him in his initiative.
