Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day—but it also kicks off No Name-Calling Week, “an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.”
The Oxford Union Society, the venerable debating society whose membership comes mostly from Oxford University, held a debate yesterday on the motion, “This house would be glad to have gay parents.” The motion passed, 345 to 21—but not without controversy. Those arguing in favor of the motion were Benjamin Cohen, founder of PinkNews.co.uk and Out4Marriage, Richard Fairbass,
I often write about schools and education, but mostly from the perspective of parents or students. Debbie of A Day Is Short is a teacher, however, and wrote yesterday of her experience coming out to her third-grade class, in the context of her pregnancy and impending parenthood. It’s a raw, emotional post about the struggle of trying to be honest with her students while facing the fear of homophobia.
Despite how it may appear, other things have been happening recently in addition to Jodie Foster coming out. Here are a few:
The year 2012 saw several notable books about LGBT parents and our children, including one for the often-ignored middle-grade readers, a young adult novel about two African American teens with a transgender dad, two memoirs (one by a gay dad, and another by the son of lesbian moms), and a fascinating history of LGBT family rights. They make better gifts than yet another “I Love My Mommies” t-shirt.
It’s official. Not just “calling her then-partner ‘my beautiful Cydney’ in public” official. Not just “the kids have both their names” official. It’s “now she’s said it to the world” official: Jodie Foster came out. She did so in a heartfelt speech at the Golden Globe Awards last night, after receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award.
This is absurd and appalling. The Kansas Department for Children and Families has filed a claim demanding that the sperm donor of two lesbian moms pay child support, even though neither of the women nor the man wants him to do so.
Wendy and Karen have been blogging at 2 Moms – It can be done since 2006. I liked Wendy’s recent post, “One Little Word 2013 — Manifesto,” because it not only gave me a glimpse into her own life, but also made me think about my own goals for the new year in a different way.
Drop what you’re doing and take six minutes to watch this video. Trust me. Noah St. John is only 15 years old, but won NPR’s Snap Judgment show’s “Performance of the Year” award for his story about his two moms. I love it not only because of St. John’s amazing delivery, but also because he doesn’t hesitate to show that LGBT families face the same ups and downs as any others.
The world has lost a pathbreaker. Jeanne Manford, founder of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), passed away today, barely a month after celebrating her 92nd birthday.
