This joyful book adds to the small number of books featuring trans parents, and the even smaller number featuring pregnant transgender men.
Told from the first-person perspective of a baby growing inside a daddy’s belly and then being born into a loving family, the story is loosely based on the family of its author, activist and musician Logan Brown (who was featured on the cover of Glamour UK while pregnant), and his partner, drag performer and Tik-Tok star Bailey J Mills.
As the book begins, the child, in utero, speaks of the excitement her daddies feel about meeting her. The images show the dads at the doctor’s for an ultrasound, preparing a nursery, and celebrating with supportive family and friends.
When the baby arrives, we learn that Daddy L was able to have a baby because he is transgender, which means “he doesn’t feel like the gender he was born as.” True—but there’s no definition here of what “gender” is, so adults will have to explain this on their own. The backmatter (and perhaps books like Being You: A First Conversation About Gender or True You: A Gender Journey) will help.
Other spreads show and note the many different types of loving families and depict the child and her own family playing, dancing, and singing together. The child says how wonderful it is to have two loving, caring daddies who “will always love me for me.” That’s the heart of the matter right there, and I love it.
The child goes on to say that “Together, we will make the world a safe and welcoming space for everyone” and says she “will wave flags to support all families.” The image shows her family and others waving a variety of queer flags (including a Progress Pride flag that is unfortunately backwards on its stick). These are lovely thoughts, although I would as always caution all LGBTQ parents that we shouldn’t assume our children will become advocates just because we are, or that they will even want to be as open about their families. As I learned long ago from books such as Families Like Mine, children of LGBTQ parents have their own coming out process about their families, and we need to respect and support that. Having said that, books such as In My Daddy’s Belly may give children the early awareness and confidence to be more out about their families and even to become advocates should they so choose.
Throughout the book, a small seahorse on each spread asks a question that readers can choose to use as a jumping point for discussion, such as “Is family important?” and “Who loves you?” (A seahorse is a common symbol for trans men who give birth.) It’s a nice interactive touch.
Backmatter includes more about the author, plus an Afterward for Adults, FAQs, and a Glossary that explain more about trans people and related concepts.
Overall, this slice-of-life story is a sweet, affirming tale that helps fill the need for books centering children whose transgender dads gave birth to them. Children of trans dads should welcome it, and their peers may learn much from it as well.
Daddies and baby all read as White, like Brown and his family. Background characters reflect a variety of racial and ethnic identities.
