I included “so-called,” as I don’t believe this is an accurate depiction of either me or my husband, particularly in the context our parenting. Yes, we are passionate about social justice, but in our home we lead with our core values, which include kindness, empathy, and respect. We’re highly tolerant of and curious about perspectives that differ from our own, and we encourage debate and critical thinking. Yet when my stepson wants to constantly and forcefully degrade women and Black people in a home that is 100% female and/or Black, to us that’s not a statement of political difference, but rather an active betrayal of our core values as a family. We have tried to communicate this to him multiple times, unfortunately to no avail.