Heather Has Two Mommies

Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), Martin Luther King's wife, once stated, “Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny them their humanity, their dignity and personhood” (qtd. in “Coretta Scott King”). This quote directly relates to, Leslea Newman's first children's book, Heather Has Two Mommies. This book was number eleven on the list for, “100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000”, according to the web site for the American Library Association. Homophobia is the reason for that placement. A children's book that presents a different view of family, promotes love, and should not be challenged.

            The reality of the situation is homosexuality exists, regardless of whether people agree with it or not. The ones who will be paying the price if this book gets banned are the children of this reality. Family diversity is shown in this book, for example, one child has two daddies, a stepfather and a father, and another was adopted and has an adopted mother, father, sister, and two brothers (Newman 20-21). Children do not choose their parents, not in heterosexual relationships, or any other kind. The children of these homosexual relationships are still just children. They exist, and have a right to grow up feeling as though they are not alone in the world. Their self esteem is at stake. As put in a  comment made by two (grown) children, Stefan Lynch and Emily Omerek, co directors of COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere): “Those of us raised in alternative families, especially lesbian and gay families, have grown up feeling invisible without knowing why. As the next generation grows up, they'll have resources like Newman's book in which they can see themselves reflected and therefore validated.” (qtd.  in Newman. Afterword.)

“It doesn't matter how many mommies or how many daddies…it doesn't matter if your family has sisters or brothers…each family is special” (Newman 22). Children deserve acceptance, regardless of how their family is organized or their parents' sexual orientation, and that is what this book promotes. The book shows this, not only to children with homosexual parents, but to all the other children in the world. As quoted directly from Heather has Two Mommies, “The most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other” (22). This quote is a summary of what this book is about: love, acceptance, and an understanding that not all families are the same. Love is a very essential part of any family, gay or straight.

Barbara Deming (1917-1984), who was an American feminist and advocate of nonviolent social change, once remarked, “The longer we listen to one another-with real attention, sharing more than opinion but real life experience-the more commonalty we will find in all of our lives.” This is one of the purposes of books, to share life experiences. As with Heather Has Two Mommies, it is a shared life experience, so that children in this situation can avoid feeling abnormal. It would be wrong to ban someone's life experience, just as it would be wrong to ban someone's life. One should observe that all Americans have a right, as dictated in the Bill of Rights, to the freedom of speech, but people attack this kind of literature because they are afraid of homosexuality. These same people are afraid that if their daughters read Heather Has Two Mommies, they will subsequently become lesbians. It is a ridiculous notion, that if a person is exposed to anything homosexual, they will then become homosexual. If that were true, any person who reads the newspaper would then be a murderer, a thief, and/or a crooked politician, et cetera.

            More parents need to introduce their children to books like Heather Has Two Mommies, doin so would lead to less hate crimes as well as less gay suicides. One of the reasons why children have a problem with homosexuality is because their parents have a moral issue with it. Homosexuals are a target for hate crimes because of this moral issue. Coretta Scott King asserted, “I have worked too long and hard against segregated public accommodations to end up segregating my moral concern. Justice is indivisible. Like Martin, I don't believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others” (qtd. in “Coretta Scott King”). People should cogitate the fact that homosexuality is not going to disappear. Therefore, the next step should be to stop trying so hard to deny its existence, and to move forward in a less judgmental fashion. Coretta Scott King acknowledges that homophobia compares to racism; they are, in reality, the very same issue. Now the rest of the world just needs to catch up with that way of thinking. In Newman's book, Nancy, the teacher, does not attack Heather for having two mommies, nor does Nancy condone this lifestyle, instead, she points out that everyone's family is different (14). This is the kind of approach that needs to be taken, in order, to reduce hate crimes and gay suicides.

            Heather Has Two Mommies is a children's book that offends some, but is highly beneficial to others. Homosexual and heterosexual society can be educated by this book. This book is teaching these children (and adults) that there are a variety of different families. It also helps to authenticate these children, and confirm that they are not abnormal or alone. Heather is about family, and promotes love, understanding, and acceptance; not hate. Children could easily accept this type of book, if not for their parents' judgmental influence. “It's the adults,” Newman says, “who have been unable to take the sex out of homosexuality. These aren't books about sex or sex education. They're about families” (qtd. in “The History of Heather”). One should consider then, why so many deem this book anti-family, when family is exactly what it is about. 

Works Cited

“Coretta Scott King Links Gay Rights and African-American Civil Rights.” Coretta Scott King compares gay and black civil rights movements16 Feb.2006       <http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/coretta.html>.

“The History of Heather.” The history Heather Has Two Mommies…Alyson Books 2000. 15 Feb. 2006 <http://www.alyson.com/html/00_files/00_ednote/0400heather10_03_int.html>.

“The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.” ALA | 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 2005. 16 Feb. 2006           <http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bblinks/100mostfrequently.htm>.

Newman, Leslea. Afterword. Heather Has Two Mommies. By Leslea Newman. Los Angeles: Alyson, 2000.

- -. Heather Has Two Mommies.2nd ed. Los Angeles: Alyson, 2000.

“Quotations.” ALA | Hot Issues 2005. 16 Feb. 2006  <http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/foryoungpeople/hotissues/hotissues.htm>.