Teary-eyed grandma begs GOP to make law forcing 'grandparents’ rights'

A "Boomer" grandparent is being mocked online after demanding that a Republican candidate for governor pass a law guaranteeing "grandparents' rights."

Speaking at an event with Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, a woman asked a question about grandparents' legal right to see their grandchildren.

The woman broke down as she revealed that her "petty" daughter has gone "no contact" with her and is refusing to allow her to see her grandson.

Donalds told the woman, "You have my word, and we are gonna look into that. And we'll work with you, and we'll work with the members of the legislature on this. But I'm really sorry that that is happening to you. I really, really am."

The woman continued to talk about her situation in an emotional tone, and all Donalds could say was how sorry he was for her.

There has been a significant increase in family members choosing to go "no contact" in the past several years. As therapist Patrick Teahan explained, sometimes "no contact" is a decades-long process.

An analysis of a study in The Conversation by sociology Professor Rin Reczek spoke with 68 adults who went no-contact with a parent, sibling, grandparent or other relative to uncover the source of what some in the media are calling an epidemic created "by therapy culture."

She cited one 26-year-old woman who explained that she and her father can only do things "his way" because he's the father. She simply decided she didn't want a relationship like that and went no contact.

She claimed it represents her thesis that these stories are less about "trauma or selfishness, and more a clash between competing expectations: an insistence on loyalty, duty and forgiveness on one hand, and the longing for respect, emotional safety and personal growth on the other."

The Cleveland Clinic describes the method as part of a protective measure used as a last resort. While in some cases it can be as a result of abuse, for some families it is more about mental and emotional safety, stability, healing and even eliminating generational trauma.

Hurt parents have flocked to self-help books, websites, Reddit and social media, blaming their children for being "caught up" in the "no contact movement" that is becoming more common. It's hardly a new idea, as one LGBTQ news site explained.

"Whether your family kicked you out or cut ties because of your sexuality or gender identity, or you put up boundaries because their judgment and lack of respect were painful or abusive, queer people have been making tough choices about their family of origin for decades," PRIDE wrote last year during the winter holidays after the Oprah special on the matter.

Florida law currently allows court-ordered grandparent visitation only in limited circumstances. Those typically involve a parent who has passed away, is missing or is severely incapacitated. The woman at the Donalds event wants the law changed to force her children to see their grandmother.