Raised by Unicorns: Stories from People with LGBTQ+ Parents

by Frank Lowe (Editor)

Overview

"I am honored to recommend this book to ALL parents. . . . [I]t relates to all families, tolerance, and love." —Greg Berlanti, writer, producer, director

"Raw and unfiltered. . . Lowe breaks new ground, highlighting the dire need for further exploration. 5 Hearts." —Foreword Reviews

"[A] powerful eye-opener." —Amanda Hopping-Winn, chief program officer, Family Equality Council

"Raw, personal, and uncensored, this must-read book gives us insight as to what it's like to be raised by same-gender parents and how that can impact one's life." —Eric Rosswood, author of The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads and Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood

In recent years, the world has been saturated by endless blogs, articles, and books devoted to the subject of LGBTQ+ parenting. On the flip side, finding stories written by the children of LGBTQ+ parents is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. Now that the world is more accepting than ever of non-traditional families, it's time to create a literary space for this not-so-unique, shared, but completely individual experience.

In Raised by Unicorns: Stories from People with LGBTQ+ Parents, Frank Lowe has carefully edited an anthology that reflects on the upbringing of children in many different forms of LGBTQ+ families. From Baby Boomers to Generation Z, it features diverse stories that express the distinctiveness of this shared journey and of each particular family. It's visceral, raw, and not always pretty, but love is always the common thread.

Lowe candidly reveals true accounts of this particular niche of humanity, while simultaneously creating a moving snapshot of the world in which we live. Raised by Unicorns guides the reader through an empathetic journey that is nothing short of compelling and poignant. We've all heard the phrase "raised by wolves." Now we have a window into the complex world of being Raised by Unicorns.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627782562
Publisher:	Start Publishing LLC
Publication date:	06/12/2018
Pages:	207
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Frank Lowe is a gay, divorced, 41-year-old dad. He is best known for his acerbic handle on Twitter and Instagram (@GayAtHomeDad), and has worked for publications such as The Advocate, HuffPost, and Gays with Kids. His goal is to bring attention to the world of gay parenting. As a result, he has been interviewed by CNN, CBS, OUT, Ozy, HuffPost, and The Today Show, to name a few. He currently lives in Northwestern Connecticut with his precocious 8-year-old son.

Table of Contents

Editor's Note 1

The Curious Case Of A Straight Boy Coming Out Ariel Chesler 5

I Am Not An Ally Jenny Gangloff Rain 19

One Coin, Two Sides Persis Ticknor-Swanson Calvin Ticknor-Swanson 35

Learning To Dance Kate Hillyer 61

The Family That Just Happened Olivia Rudis 75

Through Rainbow-Colored Glasses Eric Tracy-Cohen 83

The Way It Was For Me Kellen Kaiser 93

Learning To Love Mary Holland 111

Two Hens And A Chick: My Teenage Life With Two Moms Mikayla Denault 121

The Woman Who Cannot Refuses To French Braid Her Hair Emily Grubbs 131

My Dad Is A Drag … Queen Ryan Murphy 149

"I Know You Are, But What Am I?" Lara Lillibridge 155

Changing The Definition Of Gay Rebecca Gorman 165

Beauty And The Butch: An Interview with Joe Valentine 177

Resources 195

About The Author 199

Editorial Reviews

06/04/2018
This uplifting anthology of essays by people who were raised by lesbian and gay parents largely conveys the expected upbeat message that loving households produced happy, functional adults. Other themes do emerge, among them the shame experienced by children confronted with bigotry from a young age and the guilt they may feel later over having managed it imperfectly, as when Emily Grubbs recounts advising her little brother not to tell people he has two mothers after he was teased on the bus. “We essentially shoved ourselves back into the closet, hidden, and ashamed,” she writes. Other essayists express their frustration at their unrecognized status within LGBTQ communities. Persis Ticknor-Swanson, a straight woman with lesbian moms, describes feeling excluded by the LGBTQ community at her college. The family models depicted in the collection are not all that diverse—for example, there are no transgender parents, and the majority of authors have mothers who were previously married to men and are now described as lesbians and partnered with women—but the individual experiences are hardly uniform, even within the context of a single family. “One Coin, Two Sides,” an essay written by siblings, wonderfully illustrates their differing experiences of being raised by two mothers (“Until reading my sister’s essay, I hadn’t even considered the differences between our experiences... but they are significant,” the brother notes earnestly). The contributors aren’t professional writers, which shows, but the book is nevertheless noteworthy for showcasing a rarely heard perspective. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"A real, honest, and authentic book... [Raised by Unicorns] is compelling, and I do believe more people need to be reading it... For other children of LGBTQ+ parents, this book is good reassurance that they are not alone out there." —The Itinerant Librarian

The Itinernet Librarian

"Very highly recommended for community and academic library LBGT collections in general, and LBGT parenting supplemental studies in particular." —Midwest Book Review

Reviews

"Very highly recommended for community and academic library LBGT collections in general, and LBGT parenting supplemental studies in particular." —Midwest Book Review

"...As diverse as the colors of the rainbow and there is a story (or even more) for everyone." —Amos Lassen, http://reviewsbyamoslassen.com/?p=64182

"How lucky are we to have fought hard enough and lived long enough to hear the voices of the children of LGBTQ+ parents?! Frank Lowe has never been the type to shy away from the truth. And in Raised by Unicorns, this wonderful collection of insights about growing up with LGBTQ+ parents, there are so many inspiring truths are waving their flag so proudly." —Dan Bucatinsky, author of Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight

"Frank Lowe has assembled an eye-opening anthology of what it's like to have LGBTQ+ parents. Raised by Unicorns is a collective portrait of people whose defining characteristic is that they are radically loved and cherished." —Alec Mapa, actor, writer, dad

"Raised by Unicorns lifts the veil on children of LGBTQ+ parents. The book, while never attempting to sugarcoat the realities of growing up with queer parents, leaves the reader with the distinct understanding that despite facing bullying and discrimination along the way, our kids really are alright. From those of us unicorns who are raising children to those in the world who don't believe we should, this book is a powerful eye-opener. The breadth of voices and perspective that is represented in one compilation of essays helps the reader understand the array of challenges our children face, but it also highlights the underlying strength, empathy, and open-mindedness they seem to develop along the way. If you've ever been curious as to what our children really think about being raised by LGBTQ parents, the honesty of Raised by Unicorns is a great place to start." —Amanda Hopping-Winn, chief program officer, Family Equality Council

"During the marriage equality debate, we heard a lot about how same-sex marriage would impact the children, but we didn't really get the opportunity to hear much from the kids themselves. Raised by Unicorns gives them a platform to finally tell their stories. Raw, personal, and uncensored, this must-read book gives us insight as to what it's like to be raised by same-gender parents and how that can impact one's life. The children have spoken and it's time we listened." —Eric Rosswood, author of The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads and Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood

"Raised by Unicorns illuminates a single category in a brilliant multiplicity of ways: through the honest, matter-of-fact, but always riveting voices of kids with queer parents. I can't wait to share it with my own kids, as my marginalization is now, I understand, woven from the same fabric as theirs." —Candace Walsh, author of Greetings from Janeland: Women Write More About Leaving Men for Women

"Parents are not perfect, but gay parents are no less perfect because they are gay. This lovely book highlights the dangers of not being inclusive of diversity and its impact on children and young people, all of whom are sensitive to how their family is accepted." —Nancy Simons Bean, M.S.W., L.S.C.S.W., Adoption & Counseling Services for Families

"Frank candidly explores the most intimate parts of growing up in an LGBTQ+ household. I am honored to recommend this book to ALL parents as an important work in understanding one of the most unique and profound parts of the LGBTQ+ experience as it relates to all families, tolerance, and—most importantly—love." —Greg Berlanti, writer, producer, director


"A real, honest, and authentic book... [Raised by Unicorns] is compelling, and I do believe more people need to be reading it... For other children of LGBTQ+ parents, this book is good reassurance that they are not alone out there." —The Itinerant Librarian

From the Publisher