Idina Menzel Opens Up About Educating Herself While Raising a Mixed-Race Son: 'It's on Us'
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The 'Frozen' actress shares her son Walker Nathaniel with ex-husband Taye Diggs
Idina Menzel is fighting to create a better world for her son.
On Thursday's episode of SiriusXM's Fierce: Women in Music, the 52-year-old talks with host Lori Majewski about being an ally and raising her mixed-race son. Menzel shares 13-year-old son Walker with ex-husband Taye Diggs.
"They're taking children's books that speak to gender and non-binary kids, and taking them out of schools," Menzel begins. "I mean, it's just so upsetting, honestly. And so what we have to do is keep fighting."
"I don't think it's the same thing with...I have a mixed-race son. I think it's with a lot of my Black friends too. It's not their job. The onus isn't on them to change the world and educate people. It's on us, you know?"
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"So we have to get out there and fight on their behalf and fight for policy and the education in schools and training for teachers, especially with the LGBTQ youth and, you know, trainers, parent awareness, all of this stuff," the Frozen actress continues.
"My son went to an elementary school that was handled beautifully," she says. "His understanding of some of his non-binary friends actually didn't even faze him. There wasn't an understanding, [he] doesn't even think about it."
"It just is what it is and that's how it should be."
When Menzel turned 50, the Tony Award winner admitted that the milestone made her a little nervous. In an interview with Glamour, the singer shared, "I am ashamed to say it, but I was having a hard time with it."
"I think it was subconsciously bothering me more than I let on, in regards to my relevance as a performer and actress. I'm feeling like the old lady sometimes, and that's not who I am. I feel very young at heart."
That's when Walker stepped in. "He says, 'Mom, don't look in the mirror and worry about how you look. You're beautiful,' " Menzel recalled.
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