Đorđina Gvozdenović is one of the rare Montenegrin mothers who relatively quickly accepted the sexual orientation of her 22-year-old and five years younger daughter.
"My daughter is bisexual, my other daughter is non-binary, it's a bit more difficult to explain the terminology, which means that people attract you as people, regardless of their gender, you are simply attracted to certain human characteristics, not gender specifically," says Đorđina.
They revealed what they had done to her and her husband very early on, and they said it without hesitation.
"I have to say that first night was pretty rough for me. Honestly, as cool as you are in theory, when it comes to a different sexual orientation, do you ever care when it's your child. Not because you're watching a child through sexual orientation, but because you know what he can experience in such an environment."
And, it is precisely the environment and the non-acceptance of those closest to them that make many LGBT people live under a mask. Although every year there are more and more people who decide to take it off, so far only about 20 of them have appeared in the media.
"The fear of being rejected, by those who love the most, and then by the wider environment. Nothing that comes out of the mold is not easy to accept. In my time, it was scary to be a rocker and people were seen as freaks, because they dress differently. Now it's terrible to be gay. Everything that is different here is reprehensible and is immediately branded," Đorđina states.
This mother admits that there was discomfort with her daughters liking the same sex. However, this did not diminish her love for them.
"When we talked about my daughters, my neighbor said that she wouldn't be happy, but she would accept if her children were of a different orientation. And her husband said that he would prefer them to be drug addicts and murderers than to be members of the population. Some kind of drug addict, known matter, killer known matter, this unknown is terrifying to them. As such, they walk through the world more easily than someone who has no support, my children know that I am there at all times to protect them and others understand that."
In order for these things to change, she believes, every parent should stand behind their child. Because if there is no back in the family, they will walk on ice outside of it as well.
"I want everyone to know that I'm there for my kids and for the good times and the bad times, I'm there."
That's why he tells parents to accept their loved ones and to grit their teeth and give them a hug the next time they start judging them.
"Love your children, children do not choose to be who they are. Help them."
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