Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2013! I don’t know about you, but for me, 2012 zipped by at a faster than usual clip. I’m hoping 2013 takes a more leisurely pace, allowing us to relax, enjoy, and savor all of the sweet moments it brings.
Raising
Merry Christmas!
A very merry Christmas to those of you celebrating the holiday today! My family and I are entering the homestretch of our multi-denominational holiday festivities, which extend roughly from Thanksgiving to New Year’s or until the holiday treats run out.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’s Letter to Bullied Youth
Dear Children:
It gets better. I know from experience. When I was but a wee foal, the other young reindeer bullied me mercilessly about my nose. It was not the coal black of theirs, but waxed and waned from a dull red to a glowing, vibrant crimson, depending on my mood.
Privilege and Parenting
Sometimes, a piece of writing just makes me think. Chase Strangio’s “Making Room for More Impossible Decisions: Reflections on Being a Trans Parent” at HuffPo is one of them. Strangio gives much food for thought to parents across the LGBT spectrum and beyond, and calling for a greater understanding among parents of all types.
My Thoughts Are in Connecticut
I am stunned and horrified by the school shooting in at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut today, that left 27 dead, including 18 children. I grew up in Connecticut. My own son is in elementary school one state over. Not that the nearness should matter—this is a tragedy for our whole country. My thoughts are with the families and community in Newtown, and I can find no more words right now. Give your kids extra hugs today. I know I will with mine.
“Do You Miss Not Having a Father?”
Australian filmmaker Maya Newell gave one of the best responses I’ve ever seen to the mistaken assertion that all kids need a mother and a father.
LGBT Parenting for Beginners
BlogHer Section Editor Melissa Ford (also of Stirrup Queens) recently asked me to write a piece for the BlogHer Absolute Beginners series, a “Crib Sheet” (love the name) about being the LGBT parent of an infant. I hope you’ll go have a read.
New Video (and More) on Gender Identity and Expression in Children
There have been several great items this week on children and gender identity and expression, including a terrific new 15-minute video from TransActive Education & Advocacy. Have a look.
Post of the Week: “Non-Biological Perspective”
New mom A wrote this week at Two Mothers McGill about her “Non-Biological Perspective” before, during, and after the birth of her daughter with partner T. She gives voices to feelings I’ve heard from many nonbio moms—worrying if she will bond with their child, being hurt by others’ comments about how much the baby is like her partner, thinking about when their daughter will someday meet her donor. Even if you’ve experienced or read about similar sentiments before, however, you should go read her post for the eloquence with which she expresses them.
Transgender Parents Share Thoughts in New Film
Have 10 minutes? Then check out Transforming Family, a short new documentary that “jumps directly into an ongoing conversation among trans people about parenting.” I found I learned new things specific to trans parents’ experiences, but also found much to reflect on simply because all LGBT parents in some way love and/or live across traditional gender lines.