Two exquisite new memoirs show the breadth of experiences that fall under the umbrella of LGBT parenting. One asks us to reflect on what it means to be a mother or a father; the other shines a light on a gay father and his daughter in the era of Harvey Milk.
Despite my hopes, it seems Batwoman isn’t becoming a lesbian stepmom. The creative team behind the character quit yesterday because of disagreements with their editors, including the editors’ prohibition against Batwoman, aka Kate Kane, ever marrying her girlfriend Maggie Sawyer.
Even if you’re not a comic book geek, you may have heard that the latest incarnation of DC Comics’ Batwoman is a lesbian. Based on the most recent issue, she could soon become a lesbian stepmom, too.
I’m very pleased to bring you a guest post today by Dawn Dais, author of The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby’s First Year, which I reviewed earlier this week. Dawn is a lesbian mom, but wrote the book for a general audience, because . . . well, I’ll let her explain.
I’ve long said that LGBT parents and non-LGBT parents are more alike than different. There’s no “lesbian” way to change a diaper, for example (unless perhaps you make them yourself out of old flannel shirts). It should come as no surprise then, that a new book about the first year of parenthood, aimed at a mainstream audience, happens to have been written by a lesbian mom.
In honor of mothers today, here are a baker’s dozen of memoirs by and about lesbian moms. They are not just for lesbian or LGBT audiences, however, but shed light on many of the universal challenges and blessings of motherhood.
We could all use some lighter news about now, right? Here’s a great quote from Batgirl comic writer Gail Simone—it’s in reference to her introduction of the first transgender character in mainstream comics, but it applies quite broadly to diversity in all kinds of media. It has particular resonance for me when I think about LGBT-inclusive children’s books.
Not one, but two memoirs by lesbians have come out recently that weave together stories of food, family, and personal growth. Like two dishes at a well-planned meal, each has its own flavor, and they complement each other well. A third new memoir, though not food-related, adds yet another flavor with the tale of a lesbian couple facing the ups and downs of infertility during the height of California’s marriage equality battle.
Family Pride, by Michael Shelton, is a good book with a bit of an identity problem.
In his second inaugural speech, President Obama linked “Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall”—the birthplaces of the women’s, Black, and LGBT equality movements—and reminded us of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words that (as Obama paraphrased) “our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.” A new book about two lesbian moms and their children reminds us that LGBT equality is indeed bound to the need for racial justice.
