Post of the Week: “What do you call your moms?”
Emma Tattenbaum-Fine has two moms, and recently tackled the age-old question of “What do you call your moms?”
Selves and Identities
Racial Justice and LGBT Parenting
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, the seminal civil rights rally and site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, organized in large part by Bayard Rustin, a gay Black man. The fight for racial justice is far from over in this country, even as the fight for LGBT equality picks up steam — and the two movements, while not identical, are nevertheless interwoven. Here are a few items of late that touch on the intersection of race and LGBT parenting.
“Searching For Identity Amongst The Bugaboos”
A few months ago, the lovely ladies over at Autostraddle asked me to be part of their series, “True Stories of Unstoppably Extraordinary Lesbian Moms.” I hesitated, not seeing myself as “unstoppably extraordinary,” but when they explained I should just write about a parenting challenge I’ve faced, I agreed.
New Study: How Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents Overcome Stigma
A new study looks at how children of gay and lesbian parents — parents who came out after their kids were born — overcome stigma and create a positive family identity. While most of the messages they heard about their families were negative, the children used a variety of methods to minimize the impact of such messages.
2 Great Examples of Parents Supporting Gender Nonconforming Children
Two recent stories show parents supporting their gender nonconforming children in pretty awesome ways. One will infuriate you with the bias the mom and her child had to face; both will inspire you with the strength of the moms.
12 Ways to Include Your Children in Your Wedding
Congratulations to all of the same-sex couples in Minnesota and Rhode Island who may choose to marry starting today. And on ABC Family’s The Fosters, fictional moms-of-five Stef and Lena are getting married on this coming Monday’s episode. I thought I’d mark the happy occasions by posting a revised version of a column I did several years ago, about planning a wedding if you already have kids.
Supporting Our Children’s Gender Expression: Two Good Reads
Two thoughtful pieces this week reflect on supporting our children’s gender expression, and both are worth a read.
LGBT Young People and Those with LGBT Parents Wanted for Survey on Media and Identity
I’m posting this for a colleague at my employer, the Wellesley Centers for Women. She’s part of a team doing research on how young people’s use of media influences their developing self-identity. She told me the team is particularly interested in “reaching out to young people whose voices are not always incorporated into developing new knowledge,” including those who are LGBT, are in LGBT-parent families, and/or are people of color.
Poet and Lesbian Mom Staceyann Chin Has Advice for Us
Author, poet, performer, and lesbian mom Staceyann Chin spoke recently with Glennisha Morgan at HuffPo about her memoir of growing up in Jamaica; the intersection of poverty, homophobia, and race; her writing process; and her advice for prospective lesbian moms.
Happy Birthday, Audre Lorde: “Black, Lesbian, Mother, Warrior, Poet”
As we move forward to create a world of equality and justice for our families, I believe it is equally important to remember those in whose footsteps we tread. Audre Lorde, a self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” who was born on this date in 1934, is certainly one of them. Here’s a passage from her about defining family that I’ve always liked.