Final Project Reflection

I was happy to find that there were a significant number of picture books to choose from while researching GLBTQ literature. I decided to focus on picture books rather than novels because I believe it is important for children to be exposed to this culture at a young age, and I do not think that happens in most schools and homes. GLBTQ issues are a touchy topic for many adults to talk about with children, and quality picture books can serve as an excellent resource to start a conversation.

Out of the five picture books I read, three of them included homosexual characters without ever specifically talking about their homosexuality in blatant terms. Emma and Meesha My Boy only briefly mentioned that Emma’s mothers’ names were Mommy and Mama, which served as clarification for readers that in the following pages ‘Mommy’ and ‘Mama’ were two separate people – not just one mother who was called different names. Beyond that one page, the story just includes Emma’s lesbian mothers as a background for the story – their homosexuality could be erased from the book and the story would remain the same. King and King and And Tango Makes Three never mention that the characters are gay. Instead, the author describes how the male characters are attracted and fall in love with other male characters and both books end with same-sex couples living “happily ever after.”

The other two books, Daddy’s Roommate and Molly’s Family address the issue of homosexuality more directly. Both books discuss how the characters spend time with their homosexual parents in the same ways that children with heterosexual parents do. However, Molly’s Family is the only one of the five books that addresses issues that may arise when others discover that you live in a family with homosexual parents. Molly’s Family describes the questions that Molly faces from her classmates about why her family is different than theirs. The book ends with an overall message that there are a variety of different types of families, but all are equally important and valid.The rest of the books seem to portray an idealistic view of what life is like for those who are homosexual and their families and do not include the negative aspects, such as discrimination, ridicule, and denial of acceptance, which may occur.

Daddy’s Roommate is the only book that uses the term “gay” when describing the main character’s father and his “roommate.” The term is offered by the character’s mother and is defined as “just one more kind of love.” The rest of the books implied the homosexuality, but never delve into an explanation or definition of the term. Because of this, Daddy’s Roommate can be used as a learning tool for discussing GLBTQ terms. The explanation that the book gives can be used as a starting point for a conversation that addresses what it means to be “gay,” “lesbian,” etc.

As a whole, the books steer clear of including stereotypes in their depictions of alternative families, both in the written text as well as the illustrations. And Tango Makes Three, Daddy’s Roommate, and Molly’s Family, are pieces of quality GLBTQ literature and would be a valuable asset to include in a classroom library. Emma and Meesha My Boy is not a bad book, but it does not give enough attention to the fact that Meesha has two mothers to be considered a valued piece of multicultural literature. The characters could have been easily replaced and the mothers’ orientation was not a central focus of the story. King and King should not be immediately discarded either. Although it is not the best representation of GLBTQ literature for children due to its simplistic nature, children will most likely be able to connect with the book because of their familiarity with fairy tale stories.

After my first trip to the library I came home with eight books that were all about homosexual males. I was surprised to discover this and wondered whether this was because there were more published books about gay men or if it was purely coincidental. I made another trip to the library and specifically searched for books about homosexual women. This time, I came home with two books about lesbian mothers and two books that depicting a vast array of different family structures that included gay, lesbian, and transgender people. While building my own library I would be interested to look beyond the books I found for this project and would like to see what literature is available concerning all aspects of the GLBTQ culture.

Daddy's Roommate

Willhoite, Michael. Daddy’s Roommate. California: Alyson Publications, 1990.

Daddy’s Roommate is a story told by a young boy about his father and his new “roommate.” The narrator tells about how his dad lives with Frank and describes the kind of things that they do together: work together, eat together, sleep together, etc. The boy also tells about the things that he does with his dad and Frank when he sees them on weekends: going shopping, going to the beach, going to ball games, etc. The character is happy when he spends time with his dad and Frank.

Daddy’s Roommate quickly became one of the most challenged and banned books in the decade between 1990 and 2000. It is known as one of the first children’s book to portray homosexuality in a positive light. It is praised for showing a real-world depiction of homosexual relationships as a compliment to the more traditional mom-and-dad model. However, it is criticized for showing the relationship as completely untroubled – which makes the story more unbelievable.

This book is appealing for young readers as the text consists of short phrases on each page. Every page tells about something that the character enjoys doing with his day and includes a realistic cartoon illustration containing vibrant colors that attracts the reader's attention. Since the phrases on each page are so short, the illustrations help to tell the story.

Daddy’s Roommate portrays the life of a homosexual couple in ways similar to what one might expect from a more commonly depicted heterosexual couple. The character’s mother explains that his dad and Frank are gay and that “being gay is just one more kind of love, and love is the best kind of happiness.” It excludes any discrepancy that may exist due to his father’s homosexual relationship, both from outside society as well as between his mother and father. The book does a good job depicting that life with a parent who is homosexual is just like the “average” person’s experience.