Sarah Michelle Gellar takes her role as a parent and an LGBTQ+ ally seriously.
In a new interview with People magazine, Sarah Michelle Gellar talked about her parenting philosophy in regards to gender and sexuality with her kids Charlotte Grace (12) and Rocky James (9). Coming from New York City, the Buffy: The Vampire Slayer star says she grew up in “a weird bubble” and didn’t realize homophobia and other forms of discrimination were such widespread issues. “That was not something I experienced,” Gellar explained to the magazine.
“Luckily my children are growing up in Los Angeles, in a big city where they’ve always understood since they were little that some people have two dads, some people have two moms, some people have only one parent,” she said. “It’s just the way it is.”
Gellar noted that what’s most important to her and her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., is that their children grow up to be “kind and empathetic,” and to “judge people on their actions,” rather than the labels they give themselves.
She’s also wary of her kids putting themselves into a box too soon, and seems to stress the importance of always being open to evolving and learning new things about yourself.
“I think it’s hard to be young right now and to grow up and I see kids feel the need to label themselves even earlier and it’s like, you’ll figure out who you are,” she said. “I mean, I’m still figuring out who I am and I’m an old person.”
But Gellar’s approach seems to be based around making sure her kids don’t feel the pressure to decide one way or another just because they might be around more self-assured peers.
“I also…tell my kids that it’s okay to take to figure out who you are and what you want,” she explained.
“I think everything needs to be about inclusivity.”