If you identify as a queer mom and a feminist and are parenting a son, the editors of an upcoming essay and interview collection want to know your story.
Jenn Marlow, associate professor of English at The College of Saint Rose, and Gail Schwartz, an author and editor, both queer moms, are developing the volume Boys Will Be Boys Humans: Queer Moms Nurturing Sons for a Better World. Schwartz told me in an e-mail that it will be about “queer moms parenting sons with a focus on the unique contributions queer moms make in cultivating healthy masculinity,” and adds, “We are particularly interested in stories by BIPOC moms and moms of adult sons.” You can write a piece yourself or simply be interviewed by them.
The call for submissions says:
Do you identify as a queer mom and a feminist? Are you parenting a son? We want to know your story! We are excited to announce a new collection of essays and interviews featuring writings by queer moms and their sons about the intersection of queer parenting and the development of healthy masculinity. We believe that queer moms, in particular queer moms who also identify as feminist, have a unique and important opportunity to raise boys with healthy parenting choices that provide an antidote to the troubling patriarchal culture that continues to dominate despite numerous waves of feminist movements.
- We are looking for submissions from queer parents who identify as female/mom and are raising sons without a dad/father. We are also open to essays by adult or teenage sons with queer moms.
- How you define queer is up to you. This is a trans and non-binary friendly publication. We are happy to take questions about language related to gender/identity, as we realize it is complex and nuanced.
- Pieces should be nonfiction between 750-1000 words
- If you don’t want to write, we are happy to interview you and share what we write so you can edit it; much less time-consuming than writing.
- Include a brief cover letter describing the makeup of your family and why you’d like to be included in a collection like this (a focus on what you have to add/offer would be great).
- We have a contract with Motina Books and our collection will be released mid-2025.
- Compensation is $50 and one free copy of the book.
- Deadline: November 30th, 2023 (if you need a bit more time, just let us know)
- Email to Jenn Marlow and Gail Schwartz queermomsraisingboys@gmail.com
See their Google Doc for more details and some writing prompts to get you thinking—and if you do participate, please tell them you heard about the project from Mombian!