Wishing a very happy day to all who claim today as their own, whether you spell it Mother’s Day, Mothers’ Day, or (my proposal from a few years back) Motherz Day. No matter what parental name your kids call you, if you want to celebrate today, then do it.
Doritos Mexico has launched a surprisingly touching ad for Mothers’ Day that features real kids from two-mom families reading letters of thanks to their mothers.
Kierra Johnson, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, is also the mother of three. She spoke with me for Mother’s Day about her experiences as a parent in “a big fat queer blended family,” her advice for other queer parents, and how being a parent has impacted her work.
Most of us have seen the New Yorker cartoon from 2011 that always seems to recirculate this time of year: A teacher leans over the desk of a child making a card that reads, “Happy Mothers’ Day.” The child looks up at the teacher and says, “I have two mommies. I know where the apostrophe goes.” It’s funny, of course, as it reminds the audience that yes, there are families with two moms (and kids who are really good at grammar). At the same time, though, I sometimes worry that the cartoon may reinforce the incorrect assumption which conflates all LGBTQ moms into two-mom units.
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be fraught times for LGBTQ parents and our children, seemingly designed to underscore that our families are different. I try to see them, however, as opportunities to remind the world that queer families exist. By raising our voices on these days—or sometimes, simply being visible—we resist the attempts of those trying to ignore or eliminate us, and we welcome all who take on the mantle of parenthood.
If you feel it’s your day, then celebrate! Whether you call yourself Mom, Mama, Mommy, Maman, Mamá, Mami, Momo, Momily, MaPa, Baba, Maddy, or any other parenting name, if you want to rejoice in your parental identity today (more so than any other day), go for it! Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can seem to underscore that LGBTQ families are different—but I say that’s all the more reason to reclaim the holidays as our own.
Let’s keep the Mother’s (s’) Day videos rolling with an entry from Teleflora about a two-mom family—part of their “Love Makes a Mom” Mother’s Day campaign.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Houston-based soul band The Suffers has released a new video for their song “Mammas,” celebrating many kinds of mothers and family connections.
A very happy Mother’s Day to all who celebrate! Here’s a special roundup of pieces by, for, and about LGBTQ parents and Mother’s Day!
Happy Mother’s Day to anyone and everyone who calls themselves a mother. Mothering is a big concept, so there’s lots of room for all!
