HillyBits

"The most important thing is that a person's parenting qualities are good."

The issues

The ability of women to nurture and care for children and young people is rightly valued as one of the highest human qualities. Lesbians can and do have children - sexual orientation has nothing to do with good parenting or good child care. Many children of lesbians are born into heterosexual relationships, before a parent has 'come out'. However, a growing number are conceived in lesbian relationships. For lesbians being equal as parents means achieving equal rights and responsibilities, having the same access to services and the same recognition of family relationships.

Stonewall.

	Lesbian and Gay Fostering and Adoption: Extraordinary Yet Ordinary Edited by Stephen Hicks and Janet McDermott
	The Queer Parent's Primer: A Lesbian and Gay Families Guide to Navigating the Straight World. Stephanie Brill. Synopsis:Straight talk for Gay parents - a practical guide to parenting challenges. Includes examples and interactive exercises to help you through conflicts, define and protect your family, and celebrate and nourish a proud and loving household. Covers the practical realities of laying a foundation for healthy parenting, coming out once and for all, finding culturally sensitive schools, and making decisions about spirituality and family celebrations. Also includes a section on special concerns of single parents, the complications of breaking up, and the legal concerns of protecting your family.
	The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians: tips and techniques from conception through birth Rachel Pepper Synopsis: This lesbian-specific approach to pregnancy explains fertility cycles and how to select a sperm bank or donor. It introduces the reader to basics about insemination and fertility tests. As well as typical experiences during the various stages of pregnancy and the body's emotional responses and sexual needs, it covers "coming out" to healthcare providers and locating lesbian-friendly support systems. There is advice for the care of a new-born baby, and tips on selecting a lesbian-sensitive paediatrician.
	It's a Family Affair: the complete lesbian parenting book Lisa Saffron The essential guidebook for lesbian mothers and their children in Britain. It includes the experiences of birth mothers, co-parents, step-mothers, single mothers, children, fathers and donors. Everything you want to know about lesbian parenting - adoption and fostering, step-parenting, homophobia at school, coming out to children, legal recognition of co-parents, fertility awareness, self insemination, anonymous vs known donors; the children’s perspective; the law; when self-insemination isn't working; donor insemination through clinics.
	Gay and Lesbian Parenting Eds: Deborah F. Glazer and Jack Drescher
	The Lesbian Parenting Book: a guide to creating families and raising children Merilee Clunis and G. Dorsey Green
	For Lesbian Parents: your guide to helping your family grow up happy, healthy and proud By: Suzanne M Johnson and Elizabeth O'Connors Not just for lesbian parents, gay dads would find this helpful too!

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