A few recent articles about LGBT families for you to peruse:
- “Gay Man Reflects on Struggle to Become a Father,” by Nick Grabbe in the Amherst Bulletin, is the story of David Jean and Don Babets, “pioneers in the struggle for equal adoption rights for gay and lesbian couples” in Massachusetts.
- “No Such Thing as An ‘Average’ Family,” by Peggy Drexler in Newsweek. Drexler, an assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at Cornell University, talks of her research that showed “single mothers and two-mother families were simply parents like any others,” and reflects on what it has taught her about her own life as the daughter of a single mom. (Drexler’s book on single and lesbian moms, Raising Boys Without Men is well intentioned and supportive of lesbian families. I have reservations, however, about her methodology and some of her assumptions about gender roles, as I wrote in my review last year.
- “The Lesbian Bride’s Handbook,” by Ariel Levy in New York Magazine, is a witty look at preparing for a wedding. (I’d read it a few days ago, but Clare at When Do We Get the Toaster reminded me of it today.)
- “Gay Men and Lesbians Utilizing Infertility Clinics to Have Babies,” by Carl T. Hall of the San Francisco Chronicle, won’t surprise most of my readers, but scores points for mentioning gay dads as well as lesbian moms, and including options like egg donation from one woman to her partner. Points off for following the mainstream-media herd’s perceived need to include a quote from a right-wing bigot. Still, a very positive article overall.
- “Lesbian Moms Face Challenges Amid Joys of Parenthood,” by Heather Cassell of the Bay Area Reporter contrasts the reality of life as a lesbian mom with the images the mainstream media will throw at us this Mother’s Day weekend.
