Heather lives in a little house with a big apple tree in the front yard and lots of tall grass in the backyard. Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, two eyes, two ears, two hands and two feet. Heather also has two mommies. Mama Jane and Mama Kate.”
The above quote is from the well-known and groundbreaking children’s book, Heather Has Two Mommies. Author Leslea Newman broke significant ground by writing a book in which a child has two lesbian mothers. Sarah Hadrian, editor of AfterEllen.com asserts in a Jan. 19, 2006 article that Heather Has Two Mommies caused a storm of controversy. The book was lambasted on the floor of the U.S. Senate and stolen off of library shelves. Despite arguments that Heather was “teaching homosexuality,” this book actually started a huge revolution.
Gay-friendly children’s literature is a growing trend which started in the 1980s and continues to blossom today. Such books include King & King, a book about a prince who finds another handsome prince, and And Tango Makes Three, which is based on true story about homosexual penguins in New York’s Central Park Zoo. Both of these books have stirred up severe controversy, yet help in teaching acceptance.
In the past, childhood was traditionally seen as a time of innocence. Adult themes were dismissed and viewed as irrelevant and invisible to children. Lesbian and gay activists believe that this veiling contributes to homophobia among heterosexuals and self-loathing among gays and lesbians.
Donald E. Hall, author of Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender and Queer Culture, explains in a Sept. 16, 2007 article that in recent years, children’s literature has directly challenged sexist, racist, classist and finally heterosexist ideologies, and has become increasingly and explicitly politicized. The following is an excerpt from Zach’s Story by Keith Elliot, an amazing tale of confidence and understanding regarding a young boy with lesbian mothers.
“I know that some kids think that having a lesbian mother is strange, or very different from the way they’re being raised. But I think we live the same way any family does. My mother said, ‘We’re in a family where everybody loves each other, and that’s what matters.'”
Hadrian continues to fight for these amazing books when she explains, “With estimates ranging from two to eight million gay and lesbian parents in the United States, books featuring positive portrayals of same-sex households are vitally important to teaching tolerance, love and diversity to all children. Educators suggest that young children learn best when first presented with books that mirror their own lives. GLBT-themed children’s literature is most important to the roughly seven million kids being raised by gay and lesbian parents.”
AppreciateDiversity.com begs the question: “Do you think your child doesn’t need gay-friendly books because YOU are straight?” Think again: your toddler may turn out to be gay. Arthur Levine, an editor for Scholastic Press, emphasizes that ten percent of the children’s book readership-at least-will grow up to be gay or lesbian. There is an alarmingly high rate of suicide among gay and lesbian teens. If your child turns out to be gay, they should feel safe talking with you about his or her sexuality. If your child turns out to be straight, your child should know how to accept and be kind to their gay and lesbian peers. Reading books such as these to your child at the very earliest age will open the door to future conversations.
Activists today believe that gay-friendly literature is a great vehicle to present these important subjects to children in a way that they can easily comprehend and relate to their own lives. If our country can successfully implement this literature in our children’s lives, we may raise a more tolerant society. Critics who feel that children are too young to learn about homosexuality need to realize that children begin to learn about the world around them from the day they are born. Homosexuals are simply part of the human landscape.