Dyke Moms, Donor Dads, and Reconceiving the Queer Family:
This anthology, to be published in 2009, will explore, through personal essays and first-person accounts, the phenomenon of lesbian moms (single and coupled) who choose male friends or acquaintances, rather than an anonymous sperm donor, to father their children.
With no clear models to follow, this new version of the queer family is creating its own. That’s where this anthology comes in. We are seeking stories that are funny, touching, heartbreaking, provocative, thoughtful — and very, very relevant to the new queer (and queer-positive) family.
We are looking for creative non-fiction and first-person accounts by lesbian, bisexual, transgender and two-spirited mothers who have chosen known sperm donors in order to conceive; men who have become sperm donors to them;their partners, their children, and other invested parties.
Submit!
Submissions might explore (but should not be limited to) the following issues and themes:
When baby-making doesn’t take or takes too long; dealing with infertility, miscarriage, or even routine insemination is difficult enough for the average couple, so what happens when the donor also becomes emotionally involved?
Can his parents come to visit? Is it rude to insist they stay in a hotel?
The other mother: What happens to the experience of non-biological mothers when a biological “Dad” is also part of the picture? Non-biological moms talk about the processes and challenges of claiming their roles as primary parents.
What does “donor dad” mean anyway? How does the choice to become a donor redefine circles of gay male friends and the identities of gay men?
My husband is sleeping with lesbians! What does it mean when your partner is the father of the new baby — but the baby isn’t yours?
Queer divorce: What happens to the donor if the moms split up? What happens when the relationship between moms and donor deteriorates?
To submit, send two double-spaced hard copies and an electronic copy on disc (in .rtf format) to the address below. Submissions should not exceed 15 pages or 7,500 words. Please left-justify your submission and use a serif font (e.g., Times New Roman) in 12-point size.
Please include your name, address, telephone number, email address, and a brief bio (100 words). Submissions will not be returned.
Deadline for Submissions: January 15, 2009. Please contact us if you are planning to submit an essay.
Contact us:
Chloё Brushwood Rose & Susan Goldberg, Editors
Reconceiving Anthology
c/o Dr. Chloë Brushwood Rose
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Canada
reconceivinganthology@gmail.com