Jeanne Manford, whose love for her gay son in the 1970s led to the founding of PFLAG, is the subject of a moving new picture-book biography by Rob Sanders, one of the leading authors of children’s books about LGBTQ history and historical figures.
It’s a tough time to be an LGBTQ parent in the United States. Between legislation that threatens our ability to form and protect our families, attacks on books and media that reflect them, and concerns that impact all parents, like school shootings and pandemics, we may feel stressed and overwhelmed. Without denying those ills or our need to address them (which I have covered before and will again), I want to focus here on a few positive things to keep in mind.
A new picture book has the perfect age-appropriate approach for introducing younger readers to LGBTQ+ leaders.
Many of us may hear “America the Beautiful” played this July 4th. But did you know that its author, Katharine Lee Bates, was also a scholar, suffragist, and social activist, and lived for 25 years in a loving relationship with fellow professor Katharine Coman?
Two new middle-grade novels, one by the lauded Alex Gino and one by debut author Michael Leali, focus on queer youth exploring queer history within the context of queer communities. These joyous, empowering, inspirational books are great reads for Pride or any time of year!
Happy Lesbian Visibility Day! “The benefit of being a lesbian is one of the best kept secrets ever,” said this earnest 1996 children’s book, written by two lesbian grandmothers. It feels rather dated now—but reminds us of our long history, so I’m sharing about it once again. Read on for more about the book (and see where you can read a free copy online).
Here’s a fun historical tidbit to brighten your day: Ann Bannon, whose 1950s and 60s novels of lesbian life have earned her the title “the Queen of Lesbian Pulp Fiction,” is not only a mom, but also a grandmother.
Two memoirs published this year by grown children of gay dads both start just a few years after the Stonewall Riots. In one, the author’s parents divorced after her dad came out; in the other, her parents stayed together for decades more. Each shows us the pervasive blight of homophobia and reminds us of the many ways that queer parents and our children have navigated what it means to be a family.
October is LGBTQ History Month, and I could write, as I have in the past, about the long history of LGBTQ parents, arguably going back to Sappho (7th-6th century BCE) and Alexander the Great (4th century BCE). This year, I instead want to remind us that we and our families are part of this long history, and to encourage us to think about how we can preserve our own family histories and pass them on to our children.
It’s LGBTQ History Month, one of my favorite times of the year! Several new kids’ books on LGBTQ history and historical figures have come out since I last rounded them up, and a great new one is coming out shortly, so here’s a look!
