In accordance with the second annual "Blogging for LGBT Families" Day I'm finally making it back to this blog to say something. I've been woefully negligent in posting over here, so apologies all around. Queerspawn.com might yet become something denser but I can't do it alone. I'm looking for folks who want to help build this site into an active discourse between queerspawn. Think Huffington Post for kids of queers. If you are reading this... and have an interest send me an email: katerw at queerspawn dot com.

And in the meantime... check out the growing list of participants into today's blogging at founder Mombian.com. As of this morning the list is mostly parents but there are a few notable posts from queerspawn including tireless activist Abigail Garner's mini-manifesto on how the queer community can be more inclusive towards adult queerspawn (in video no less) and Tobi Hill-Meyer's story of translating her trans identity to her lesbian moms.

COLAGE is also jumping on the blogging bandwagon, with the intention of getting all of their chapters blogging this year. So far Boston, Chicago, Connecticut, New Orleans, New York City and Philly are posting.

Since comments are down on this site right now, drop me an email if you have suggestions or want to join: katerw at queerspawn dot com.

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After a really long absense, I'll be blogging next week in conjunction with "Blogging for LGBT Families Day" on June 1st. Below is COLAGE's media release encouraging others to join in.

Are you a youth or adult with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender parent/s ? Do you want to help raise visibility and awareness about people with LGBT parents? Do you use any online forums for networking or blogging?

We want you to participate in the first-ever COLAGE Speak OUT Campaign!
Blogging for LGBT Families Day

http://mombian.com/2007/04/16/blogging-for-lgbt-families-2007/
Friday, June 1st, 2007.

COLAGE is the only national organization working with children, youth and adults with one or more LGBT parent/s. Our Speak OUT Campaigns engage our membership to use their voices to raise visibility and impact change. We have chosen this campaign to encourage our members to utilize online forums in which they participate as a means for raising visibility and awareness about children of LGBT parents.

Through our first-ever Speak OUT Campaign, COLAGE aims to increase the number of youth and adults with LGBT parents who participate in this impactful event. “We know that when we speak out about our true experiences, share the blessings and challenges of having families deemed “different” by the rest of society, and talk about the ways in which we and our families are not equally validated or protected, we have a unique and powerful ability to impact change.” shared Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director. “Furthermore, particularly for youth and young adults, the internet, online social networks, and blogs are becoming increasingly influential mediums of communication and we recognize that by being out as people with LGBT parents online we can continue to transform society.”

What is Blogging for LGBT Families Day?
We are looking for at least 30 youth and adults with LGBT parents to participate in the 2nd annual Blogging for LGBT Families Day. It’s easy to participate- on June 1st, 2007 post a journal entry, essay, article or creative piece to your favorite online form. Just make sure that your piece explicitly talks about having an LGBT parent.

Over 130 bloggers participated in last year's Blogging for LGBT Families Day. They included lesbian moms, gay dads, adult children of LGBT parents, members of the transgender community, LGBT individuals without children, and straight allies. Countries represented included the United States as well as Australia, Canada, and the UK.

What should I write about?
You can write about any topic related to having LGBT parents that you like- serious, political, humorous, sentimental¦ anything! Use your post to come out about having an LGBT parent, to share a story about your family, to talk about myths and truths about having LGBT parents, or provide your insight as to what its like to have an LGBT parent. You can write about current legislation such as ENDA (The Federal Employee Non Discrimination Act) or the Uniting American Families Act which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by adding “permanent partner" next to “spouse" and provide the same immigration procedures for same-sex partners as currently exist for immediate relatives of United States citizens. By highlighting these or other pieces of legislation you can talk about the ways your family does receive the same rights and respect as other families or encourage your online friends and family to take further action.

To participate in this Speak OUT Campaign there are just 5 easy steps!

1. Send an email to Meredith@colage.org letting us know that you plan to participate.

2. Start developing your post for Blogging for LGBT families day. Let COLAGE know if you want any help developing or editing your post.

3. On June 1st, 2007 post your entry to any online forum:
a. MySpace
b. Facebook
c. LiveJournal
d. Blogs
e. Etc.
f. If you do not have a blog, you can post your creation on the www.queerspawn.com blog, just let us know that you want to and we’ll help you make it happen!

4. Send COLAGE a copy of your article and a link to your post (when possible) by emailing Meredith@colage.org. Also send an e-mail to lgbtfamilies@mombian.com with the permalink to your post. (If you know how, you may also add the tag blogging for lgbt families days to your entry.)

5. Visit http://www.mombian.com on June 1 to read what other members of the LGBT community and allies have written for this event.Celebrate that you are joining with COLAGErs across the world to educate our families, friends, and communities about the experiences of youth and adults with LGBT parents.

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Becca, who a bunch of us finally got to meet in Dallas has been quite busy pushing for marriage in her State of Connecticut. Here are a series of news stories about her push for equality.

GROWING UP WITH TWO DADS - Courant.com

SPEAKING UP - Courant.com

DINNER TIME - Courant.com

FATHERS' DAUGHTER-Courant.com (this Story also features Anna Heller - one of the founders of COLAGE)

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As a child of divorce I know how heart-breaking it is for family, friends and the kids. I remember when my biological parents divorced - mom and dad when I was about 9. My grandmother died and my dog was run over by a truck passing by. Can we say trama. The divorce seemed to be the one thing that I could fix, there was hope.

What I didn't know was that there was much more going on under the surface. They had fallen out of love. And mom had moved on. Soon after Mom met Sue. Mom and Dad had been together just about 10 years, Mom and Sue have been together 22.

Mom followed love not gender. The two need to be separated when we look at gay divorce. The big difference is that kids are protected in a legal marriage. What happens when our parents fall out of love and then the courts fall out of recognition of their relationship.

This story may be unfolding in various locales, but it is making headlines in the DC area. Two mom's now begin the fight for the child. Unleashing all the anger that can sometimes be found in a divorce, but under a national spotlight. Being watch by a country that is comapring their story to others and making assumptions about gay marriages.

All I have to say about the article is it starts out shocking quite open, but I feel for Isabella. It seems that like the Hatfield and the McCoys. Take a look here

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COLAGE member Melanie Jones in the News. Great article Melanie. Click here to read article

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Do you think that for Travis, this situation could have been better handled?

With the mayor at his side, longtime Largo City, Florida Manager Steve Stanton disclosed to the St. Petersburg Times on Wednesday that he is undergoing hormone therapy and counseling in preparation for a sex-change operation.
Through the process, which could take well over a year, Stanton plans to remain as the chief executive of the city of 76,000. He has the support of Mayor Pat Gerard, elected last March.
"He's a dedicated city manager and puts his job first," said Gerard, who learned of the decision Jan. 1.
Stanton, 48, said he eventually will change his name to Susan, the name his late mother would have given him if he had been a girl.
Married with a 13-year-old son, Stanton said he has thought of becoming a woman since childhood. He said he has gone out in public as a woman in recent years, but only in places like Orlando, Atlanta and Chicago.
Stanton had planned to announce his decision in June so his son could be out of town. But that changed this week after the Times heard of possible changes in Stanton's life and approached him. He and Gerard described in detail his decision and plans Wednesday morning.

Steven Stanton on Talking to his Son, Travis

There was a lot of discussion about my insensitivity to my son’s needs. Everybody thought that he learned from the news media. He did not learn from the news media. He learned from mom and dad that night sitting in our living room. We talked about courage, we talked about conviction, we talked about doing something that was so personally sensitive that his daddy had been struggling with as a very small boy.

We talked about the inside growing up and matching the outside and that I was going through the process of trying to make the outside and the inside the same. And we talked about the core values that make people, people and make a dad, a dad and make a relationship between the son and the father sustainable over time irrespective of one’s gender. And he’s been great. He has been super, he has not missed a day at school, he’s not missed an hour of school.

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