my family

Suit and tie. Photo: Markus Spiske via Unsplash.

Gender and Role Models: One Queer Parent’s Perspective

A number of years ago, a mainstream journalist asked me, “Are you worried about providing male role models for your son?” Here’s the piece I wrote about my answer, which I’m pulling from the archives and freshening up a bit.

Helen (L) and Dana (R)

30 Years of Love and Progress

My spouse Helen and I recently celebrated our 30th anniversary. At a time when the LGBTQ community is being attacked on all sides, this personal milestone also reminded me that despite the many challenges for LGBTQ folks right now, progress can happen and queer joy is real.

Giving Tuesday 2022

Teaching Our Children to Give

Today is Giving Tuesday, but I’m not going to ask you to give to any particular organizations. (There are any number of good ones to support with your time and/or money, and I hope you do.) Instead, I’ll once again share some of the ways my spouse and I have tried to show our son the importance of giving.

Doors opening with rainbow

A Lesbian Mom’s Thoughts on Coming Out

Coming out is often described as an ongoing journey. As parents, it is a journey we take with our children. For National Coming Out Day, here are a few things I’ve learned along the way.

Star Pride - Olivia Travel Iceland Cruise 2022

Cruising Through Parenthood: 2 Moms, 2 Boats, 19 Years

My spouse Helen and I recently returned from a trip to Iceland with Olivia Travel, a company catering to LGBTQ women. Our previous trip with them was when our son was six months old. He’s now in his second year of college. I’ve therefore been reflecting on lessons about family and parenting that I’ve learned from each of those voyages.

Giving Tuesday 2021

Showing Our Children the Lessons of Giving

Today is Giving Tuesday, but I’m not going to ask you to give to any particular organizations. (There are any number of good ones to support with your time and/or money.) Instead, I’ll share some of the ways my spouse and I have tried to show our son the importance of giving.

Glowing pumpkin

Facing Our Fears as Queer Parents

Halloween is almost here, a celebration of all things scary. That means, of course, that we should be celebrating queer parenting, too, which brings with it no end of scary moments. Here are some I have had, along with a few thoughts on facing our fears.

WTC - photo by Dana Rudolph

Remembering 9/11, 20 Years Later

It is not coincidental that shortly after September 11, 2001, my spouse and I began to talk seriously about having a child, after more than eight years together. Many of us have a 9/11 story. Here’s mine.

Nest

Looking into the Empty Nest

My spouse Helen and I drove our son to start his first year of college this week. He’s eager to begin his new adventures; Helen and I went through a few tissues on the way home. Here are a few thoughts on becoming an empty nester.

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