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Five Do’s, Five Don’ts for Interacting with LGBT Parents
(Originally published as my Mombian newspaper column.) ABC News’ “What Would You Do?” series recently set up several actors in a local café near Dallas, Texas, to test patrons’ responses to harassment of same-sex parents and their children. An actor playing a homophobic waitress harangued the parents (first two moms, then two dads) about how [...]
In Memoriam: Brendan Burke
Last November, I posted about Brian Burke, the gruff president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who very publicly supported his gay son Brendan, a hockey player for Miami University. Today I just learned of the sad news that Brendan was killed in a weather-related two-car accident in Indiana Friday afternoon. My deepest [...]
They Might Be Allies
I was thrilled to hear indie band They Might Be Giants performing the theme song for Rosie O’Donnell’s recent HBO special, A Family Is a Family Is a Family. Unfortunately, the song, “And Mom and Kid,” isn’t yet available online. I give you instead “Roy G. Biv,” from their generally awesome album Here Comes Science. [...]
Weekend Reading: Reaching Across the Lines
Two stories caught my eye today that show the value of making personal connections, even when the barriers between people seem insurmountable. They make a good pair of pieces for weekend reading. One is Steven Goldstein’s piece at Blue Jersey, which I mentioned in my Political Roundup this week. Steven is the chair of Garden [...]
New Blog on Gender and Pop Culture
A friend whom I’ve known since college has launched a new blog with her husband, in which they offer their perspectives on gender and popular culture. They’ve only been at the blog, The Two Body Solution, for a short time, but they’re both English professors and have been writing about this sort of thing in [...]
LGBT Parenting Roundup
Politics and Law Amicus briefs are coming in to Florida’s third district court of appeal from LGBT and other civil-rights groups, in support of a circuit court decision that allowed a gay couple to adopt two brothers, effectively overturning the state’s ban on adoption by same-sex couples. Despite new legislation in Victoria, Australia, to allow [...]
An Unlikely Friendship
Last week, I pointed out a moving post from Blogging for LGBT Families Day written by Haley Montgomery, a conservative evangelical Christian who was struggling to work through the issue of marriage equality, trying to reconcile her beliefs with the stories of loving LGBT families she was reading online. This week, I want to highlight [...]
Of all the posts submitted to Blogging for LGBT Families Day, the one that has made the greatest impression on me is: “The One Where I Come Out… And Say It,” by Haley Montgomery, aka eyeJunkie. Haley describes herself as “a politically conservative, white, heterosexual, middle class evangelical Christian from Mississippi. And, I’m probably pretty [...]
Blogging for LGBT Families Day: Thank You!
I am once again dazzled by the range of contributions to Blogging for LGBT Families Day. We heard from LGBT parents across the gender spectrum, children of LGBT parents, other LGBT people, and allies. There were a number of posts in Spanish. There were old timers, who have contributed to all four years of this [...]
An Ally’s Response
After I published my story on the 20th anniversary of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Phillips Academy Andover, I received this letter from alumna and writer Robin Chotzinoff, who now lives in Texas. She shares not only her reaction to how times have changed, but also what her 11-year-old daughter is doing to support LGBT rights. [...]
Julianne Moore Gets LGBT Families
Actor and mom Julianne Moore just did a video interview with the Advocate to promote her Valentine’s Day project with Save the Children, selling cards designed by top children’s illustrators to raise money for fighting poverty in America. Along the way, she talks about engaging children in social change, how LGBT families in particular have [...]
Teaching All Teens About LGBT Issues
I wrote this a few months ago (with slight modification) for Vanessa Van Petten’s Teens Today blog. She had asked me to share some resources for her audience of mostly straight parents who want to talk with their teenagers, LGBT and not, about LGBT issues. I realize most of my readers at Mombian are more [...]
A Few for the Children
Here are a few recent items of interest for children of LGBT parents, and one (mostly) for children of non-LGBT parents: The 2002 film Our House: A Very Real Documentary About Kids of Gay & Lesbian Parents has been re-released on DVD. I haven’t seen it myself, but Abigail Garner recommends it, and that’s good [...]
It’s the Little Things
Having preschool teachers who make sure your son brings home two handmade flowerpots for Mother’s Day? Priceless.
Melissa Etheridge on Motherhood
Somebody bring me some water . . . in a sippy cup.* MomLogic (part of the AOL Living network) just published the article “Melissa Etheridge: Superstar Mama.” The lesbian icon talks about having twins, explaining her cancer to her children, celebrating Mother’s Day, celebrity babies, the most important lesson to teach your children, and her [...]
Loving Tribute
Mildred Loving, a black woman whose marriage to a white man led to the seminal U.S. Supreme Court that overturned Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage, died today at age 68. NPR has a good interview with her from last year, on the 40th anniversary of the Court’s case. Pam at the Blend observes that Loving [...]
Teaching Teens About LGBT Issues
I just did a guest post for Teens Today with Vanessa Van Petten, a site for parents of teenagers. Van Petten, 22, wrote You’re Grounded!: How to Stop Fighting and Make the Teenage Years Easier while she was still in high school, basing it on dozens of interviews with teens, parents, and teachers. She continues [...]
Words from Mrs. King
I posted this quote from Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King, Jr., last year at this time, but I think it bears repeating. Mrs. King was speaking at Lambda Legal’s 25th Anniversary Luncheon in 1998: As Martin once said, ‘We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny… an inescapable network [...]
And Now a Word from Our Allies
Tonight begins the first of Seven Straight Nights for Civil Rights, a coordinated campaign of overnight vigils led by straight allies across the nation who will “come out” as supporters of equal rights for LGBT Americans. Atticus Circle and Soulforce are organizing the events, important opportunities to show that support for LGBT rights extends beyond [...]
Add LGBT Voices to New Parenting Encyclopedia Babblepedia
Parenting megasite Babble has just launched Babblepedia, a Wikipedia-like “Encyclopedia of Parenting Knowledge” that “anyone can edit.” It’s a great idea, though the usual cautions apply about doing your own thorough research before believing anything you read online. Here’s the action item: Go contribute to Babblepedia to make sure LGBT families are well represented. Many [...]
Honoring Loving v. Virginia
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down the remaining interracial marriage bans in 16 states in the U.S. I needn’t belabor the parallel between the struggle to end interracial-marriage bans and our current fight to legalize same-sex marriage—most readers here know it all too [...]
Evaluating Schools: Levels of Inclusion
I’ve been evaluating preschools for my son over the past few weeks. As part of my discussions with teachers and administrators, I always mention that we’re a two-mom family, and ask “Is this going to be a problem for anyone here?” I don’t expect anyone would ever come right out and say “yes”—we’re in a [...]
And Now a Word from Our Allies
A few recent words from non-LGBT parents about LGBT families: Actor Sarah Jessica Parker says her four-year-old son has been asking her what it means to be gay, since the family has many gay friends. Parker explains: When talking around your child you have to think very carefully and you have to be prudent about [...]
Children and Race
What can you learn about race from a seven-year-old? Rachel at Alas, a blog explores this question based on her own experience, and it’s worth a read. If you’re a multi-racial family, you may find immediate resonances. Even if you’re not, however, it will give you a lot to ponder in terms of how our [...]
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