While information about how to change a diaper or childproof a home may be the same for any parent, LGBTQIA+ parents must navigate other challenges, like securing legal protections for their family, that largely do not exist for heterosexual parents. Here are eight resources to build collections. 

Editors’ Note: Throughout this piece we use terms such as “gay dads” and “same-sex parenthood,” among others, as these are commonly used in books to refer to parents of the same gender or who are perceived to be of the same gender. We recognize that these terms are not inclusive or accurate to the experiences of many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, with trans and bisexual people being just some of those particularly impacted. We encourage librarians to be mindful of inclusive phrasing when suggesting these titles to patrons. 

Belc, Krys Malcolm. The Natural Mother of the Child: A Memoir of Nonbinary Parenthood. Counterpoint. 2021. 304p. ISBN 9781640094383. $26.

Belc, who was nonbinary when pregnant and subsequently transitioned to transmasc, offers a debut memoir-in-essays account of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. This is a lyrically told story employing fragmentary structure and incorporating visual documentation related to his life and the life of his child, providing a penetrating philosophical examination of bodies, gender, and parenthood.

Berney, Jennifer. The Other Mothers: Two Women’s Journey To Find the Family That Was Always Theirs. Sourcebooks. 2021. 336p. ISBN 9781728222837. $16.99

Berney’s memoir about having a baby with her wife, Kellie, is a complicated journey that many queer couples take to become parents. Berney relates her journey approaching a friend to be a sperm donor, dealing with doctors who aren’t quite sure how to treat her, the turmoil of contending with infertility, and the joy of welcoming a child into the world.

Heynen, Bart. Dads. Powerhouse. 2021. 152p. ISBN 9781576879832. $50.

Recognizing the importance of the visibility of LGBTQIA+ families, Heynen set out to photograph gay dads and their children in their daily lives. In addition to the intimate photos, there are a handful of poignant personal reflections at the end of the book from some of the subjects.

Jordan, Jamal. Queer Love in Color. Ten Speed. 2021. 224p. ISBN 9781984857644. $28.

Jordan set out to take photographs of gay people who looked like him for his younger self. He first photographed queer couples of color for the New York Times in 2018, then expanded on his work in this stunningly beautiful book featuring portraits alongside stories of queer couples and families of color from around the world.

Reese, Trystan. How We Do Family: From Adoption to Trans Pregnancy, What We Learned about Love and LGBTQ Parenthood. The Experiment. 2021. 240p. ISBN 9781615197569. $24.95.

In this touching memoir, Reese tells the story of his family: meeting his partner Biff, the adoption of a neglected niece and nephew, popping the question, getting pregnant, weathering a miscarriage, and giving birth as a trans man. Reese first shared his pregnancy story publicly on Facebook in 2017. In this book he expands on his and his family’s journey

Rosswood, Eric. Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples. New Horizon. 2016. 240p. ISBN 9780882825144. $15.95.

Many same-sex couples consider a variety of ways of welcoming a child into their family when exploring parenthood. Organized into sections covering adoption, fostering, surrogacy, assisted reproduction, and coparenting, this collection of personal stories of the journey to same-sex parenthood is both informative and intimate.

Rosswood, Eric. Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads: Everything You Need To Know about LGBTQ Parenting But Are (Mostly) Afraid To Ask. Mango. 2017. 248p. ISBN 9781633534919. $16.95.

A gay dad himself, Rosswood’s practical parenting guide for gay men has the standard parenting guide fare, plus information that readers are unlikely to encounter in other parenting books, such as finding LGBTQIA+ friendly pediatricians and schools and navigating invasive questions people may have about your family.

Summers, A.K. Pregnant Butch: Nine Long Months Spent in Drag. Soft Skull. 118p. ISBN 9781593765408. $17.95.

Summers’s funny and poignant graphic memoir recounts her experience of pregnancy as a self-described butch lesbian, attempting to maintain her masculinity in the process. Readers will laugh and sometimes cringe as Summers and her partner grapple with others' conceptions and expectations, navigate a DIY artificial insemination, and explore the landscape of birthing classes and the arrival of their child.

Kelly Griffin is a Content Curator, Adult, for Chicago Public Library.