Juliet Howard and Norma Jennings were elected to New York state judgeships last November, becoming likely the first same-sex married couple in the state to simultaneously win judicial election. The women, who took office in recent weeks, have been together nearly 32 years and have two grown sons.
Here’s some of the news about LGBTQ parents and our families that I haven’t covered separately, from reflections on parenting to political news and more. Have a read and be informed!
In 2011, a 19-year-old named Zach Wahls gave a speech to the Iowa legislature during the state’s marriage equality battles, describing his life with two moms. It went viral, catching national attention. Wahls, now a two-term Iowa state senator running for U.S. Senate, spoke with me for the speech’s 15th anniversary, looking at its impact and offering advice for parents and young people today.
House Republicans have introduced a bill that would ban books, activities, and programs that mention trans people—and potentially all LGBTQ people—from K-12 public schools nationwide.
In his State of the Union address last night, the president used a young person to try and show the harms of gender transition. I thus feel the need to say again to trans youth: your gender identities are valid and you are worthy. As vile as the president’s speech was, though, it offers a lesson that can help people take action against its content.
Three-time Emmy Award-winning children’s TV screenwriter and producer Chris Nee and Emmy Award-winning animation casting and voice director Kristi Reed spoke with me about increasing queer representation in children’s media, the state of the industry, and what we can all do to help.
Let’s keep the Olympic theme going this week with four queer-inclusive middle grade books about Winter Olympic sports (even if not all of the protagonists are quite at Olympic level yet).
The Winter Olympics are almost here, which means that at Mombian, it’s time once again to honor those who are not only Winter Olympians, but also queer parents.
In tragedy and grief, sometimes the smallest details sear themselves in our minds. I can’t stop thinking about Renee Good’s knit cap.
U.S. Space Force Colonel Bree Fram, who was forced into retirement simply for being transgender, has announced she is running for Congress in Northern Virginia. She also has two kids, and has spoken of how she is motivated by the need to make a better world for all children.
