(Originally published in my newspaper column.) “There’s a huge difference between being gay and being trans,” affirms LGBT activist and parent Marti Abernathey. Many would agree, but Abernathey has a rare perspective: she is transgender and has a gay son. Despite their differences, though, she feels they share a certain bond: “In the whole coming
Helen and I discuss the DVD release of Meema Spadola’s award-winning Our House: Kids of Gay and Lesbian Parents, which profiles the pre-teen and teen children of five lesbian and gay families. We also share two funny anecdotes about trying to explain marriage and family creation to a preschooler. Finally, in honor of Pride Month,
Deborah Solomon recently interviewed actor and lesbian mom Cynthia Nixon in the New York Times Magazine. Jessica at Feministing, however, notes the general cluelessness of the questions. The interview starts out all right: A few years ago, you moved in with a woman, after leaving the father of your children. Do you find it easier
Some of you may have heard or read NPR’s recent piece (and followup Q & A) on two young boys expressing female “gender preferences.” The boys’ parents each sought the help of a different psychologist. One went to Dr. Diane Ehrensaft, a psychologist and gender specialist in Oakland, CA. She described the boy as transgender,
Raising a child takes at least 18 years, though some would say it is a lifetime’s work. Why then, has television representation of LGBT families focused primarily on the initial stages of family creation, and not on the later years? Almost every adult lesbian on television has had a storyline revolving around her attempt at
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who call yourselves mothers. We may come by the title in different ways, but the one thing we all share is a love of our children. I found it interesting that two lesbian-mom authors this week wrote of the difficulty of sharing Mother’s Day with another mother. Harlyn
Both the New York Times and Details magazine have just published articles that look at the “settling down” of gay male culture. The Times, in a Sunday Magazine cover story, explores the trend of even young gay men in their 20’s getting married. Details looks at “The Gay Baby Boom.” It’s a good thing that
Just in time for Mother’s Day, I’m pleased to launch the brand new “Proud Soccer Mom” line of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and more. Suitable for both playgrounds and Pride marches, they could become a wardrobe staple. Buy now through CafePress.
Helen and I discuss why people always want to know what children of two moms call their parents, why even Cynthia Nixon can’t escape the question, and why we shouldn’t get so hung up on the issue. We also have fun with two classic board games and tell you why our son isn’t a genius
Thomas Beatie caused a minor sensation several weeks ago when he came out as a pregnant transgender man. I offered my own opinion about him, which boils down to “a loving family is all that matters.” Annalee Newitz at AlterNet, however, reminded us that Beatie is not the first man to get pregnant. She knows
