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.
Among other things, she reflects on the open letter she wrote to her daughter before she was born, observing:
Just like every other parent, I will find that I didn’t do the job that she would have wanted me to. I am doing the very best that I can. I will remain open to apologizing when it is that I fail. I hope she will forgive me for the things that I have already done to her and for the things that I have not quite done yet. I remain optimistic, but I’m aware that my vision is not her vision.
For lesbians who want to become moms, she advises: “Get informed. There’s so many decisions to make around how to, when to, where to, with whom to.”
And she also has good advice for breaking down the barriers of race, class, and sexual orientation: “More conversations. We have to challenge each other to talk.”
Take a few minutes to go read the whole interview (and her earlier letter, if you haven’t). Good stuff.