Books - Lesbian Families

The office for Lesbian Mothers Scotland at 13 Gayfield Square, Edinburgh EH1 3NX (0131-556-3899) has a number of books available for parents and children which are listed below. These can be borrowed from the office (normally open Mon-Fri 9am to 4.30pm) or you may be able to order them through your library or through mail order services such as that of Word Power (www.word-power.co.uk)

Books for Parents:

Title: It's a Family Affair: The Complete Lesbian Parenting Book
Author: Lisa Saffron
Publisher: Diva Books 2001
ISBN: 1-87374-162-6
This is a comprehensive British book covering the various ways in which lesbians can have children and also examining the children's perspectives on their families.

Title: For Lesbian Parents: Your Guide to helping your family grow up happy, healthy and proud
Author: Suzanne Johnson and Elizabethh O Connor
Publisher: The Guildford Press 2001
ISBN: 1-57230-663-7
This book covers the experiences of women who have children as lesbians and who come out of heterosexual relationships. It covers topics such as becoming a family, dealing with schools and other agencies, child development and stepfamilies. It is American, but relevant here too.

Title: The Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy and Birth
Author: Kim Toevs and Stephanie Brill
Publisher: Alyson Books 2002
ISBN: 1-55583-626-7
This is a comprehensive American book exploring the options for having children, ways of increasing fertility, options where conception is difficult and pregnancy and birth.

Title: From Wedded Wife to Lesbian Life
Author: Deborah Abbott and Ellen Farmer
Publisher: The Crossing Press 1995
ISBN: 0-89594-766-8
This is an anthology of many stories of women from a wide variety of backgrounds who have left heterosexual relationships to come out as lesbians. An excellent book for every women who has worried that she is the only one on the world who has felt like this.

Title: Unexpected Pleasures: Leaving heterosexuality for a lesbian life.
Author: Tamsin Wilson
Publisher: Diva books 2002
ISBN: 1-87374-172-3
This is a study based on interviews with around 100 women, covering topics such as becoming a lesbian, first sex with a woman, telling the children, why it happens and learning from experience. Narrative by the author is interspersed with quotes from the women interviewed.

Books for Children

Title: Belinda's Boquet
Author: Leslea Newman
Publisher: Alyson Wonderland 1991
ISBN: 1-55583-154-0
This is a story about a girl with two mothers, suitable for 2-5 year olds.

Title: Holly's Secret
Author: Nancy Garden
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux 2000
ISBN: 0-37433-273-8
This is a story about an 12 year old girl with two mums who tries to keep this fact a secret and discovers that is not so simple.

Title: Families Like Mine: Children of lesbian and gay parents tell it like it is.
Author: Abigail Garner
Publisher: Perennial Currents 2005
ISBN: 0-06-052758-7
This is a thought provoking book on the issues for children of being brought up by lesbian or gay parents, such as feeling that they are particularly under scrutiny from a wider society, many of whom disapprove of the whole idea of lesbian and gay families. The book includes many quotes from children about their feelings about their families in this wider context.

Title: Get used to it!: Children of lesbian and gay parents
Author: Myra Hauschild and Pat Rosier
Publisher: Canterbury University Press 1999
ISBN: 0-908812-86-8
This New Zealnd book is a positive collection of photos and interviews with people who grew up with lesbian or gay parents., designed to counter prejudices.