Reader Appreciation Day: “Families Like Mine” Giveaway

It’s Reader Appreciation Day, an event organized by Robin Reagler of The Other Mother. I thought it would be appropriate, therefore, to have another giveaway, this time of Abigail Garner’s must-read book, Families Like Mine: Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is. Abigail writes from her own experience of having a gay dad who came out to her when she was five years old, but includes the voices of many others. It was an eye-opening book for me and brought up a number of issues I had never considered, like the fact that children (LGBT or not) of LGBT parents must go through a “coming out” process similar to our own, as they decide how much to share, and with whom, about their families.

More on the giveaway in a moment. First, let me say that I do very much appreciate all of you who stop by Mombian, especially those of you who keep coming back. What started as a hobby while my son was napping has grown, like him, into something more than I could have imagined. I’m pleased to see the number of comments going up, too; I hope this site sparks conversations among us. We all have much to learn from each others’ perspectives and experiences.

The book will go to the first person who leaves a comment with the correct answer to the following question. Please note rules and restrictions below.

A question for tax time: The standard, annual tax-filing deadline in the U.S. is April 15, although this can shift by a day or two if it falls on a weekend. The original filing date specified by Congress after passage of the 16th Amendment was different, however. What was that original filing date?

Rules and restrictions: U.S. and Canada residents only, please. Don’t worry if your comment is moderated; once I approve it, it will appear based on the time you submitted it. Previous winners cannot win again (though you can submit an answer just to see if you got it right). I retain the right to cancel the giveaway if there are any nasty debates about who has the correct answers. If you are or have been a paying advertiser on Mombian, you can’t play. If no one gets the right answers by 11:59 p.m. EST, April 30, 2008, I’ll post an alternate question.

Make sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you submit your comment! (Don’t leave a postal address, though. If you win, I’ll contact you by e-mail about shipping.)