Our country feels very different than it did a year ago on the last National Coming Out Day, when the prospect of an LGBTQ-friendly president was still possible. Now, however, the day feels even more like a time for activism and resistance.
For LGBTQ History Month, let’s take a quick tour of LGBTQ parenting history in the U.S. to remind us that our “modern families” really have older roots.
For the second in my series for LGBTQ History Month, here’s a New York Times piece from 1973 that marvels at the confluence of lesbians and motherhood.
It’s LGBTQ History Month, so I’m going to celebrate with a series of posts linking to historical stories, including primary sources, that help illuminate the history of LGBTQ parents and our children.
This week’s pick is from Alithea Howes, who writes about a trip her family took when she was 12, when her father was first transitioning into her identity as a transgender woman.
Not only is it Banned Books Week, it’s also Ally Week, GLSEN’s annual program “where LGBTQ K-12 students and LGBTQ educators lead the conversation on what they need from their allies in school.” Even those of us already in the LGBTQ community would do well to think about what this means and how we can help. Here are a few things I try to keep in mind.
My family and I took a trip to Disney World a few weeks ago (before the hurricane), an end-of-summer hurrah before our son started high school. The rides and entertainment still retain their magic for us—but on this trip, I was also thinking about how Disney both reflects and influences our society, and what that means in the current era for a queer family like ours.
She always seemed too full of life to ever be gone from it, with her signature scarf and boundless energy—but Edie Windsor, whose case led to the first federal recognition for same-sex couples, died yesterday at the age of 88.
My son is starting high school this fall, which I find hard to believe—it seems like just yesterday that I was driving him to preschool. This year feels different for other reasons, too. Last year, we headed into school time with the assumption that progress towards LGBTQ equality and inclusion in education would continue with little hindrance. This year, however, the pall of federal actions against LGBTQ students, particularly transgender ones, hangs heavy over all of us.
“Should kindergarten include books about being transgender?” asks an LA Times column this week. For me, the answer is simple: To say that any child is too young to learn about LGBTQ people is essentially the same as saying that LGBTQ people shouldn’t be parents. At the same time, teachers may need some help in presenting LGBTQ topics accurately and with sensitivity. Let’s review some resources that can help.
