Can a book be brave? If courage is found in publishing, this book is braver than most.
The book is called (Не)обычные семьи вокруг меня, written by Sasha Semenova, living in St Petersburg: the title translates as (Un)usual Families Around Me. (Vimeo)
In Russia, a recent law prohibits the “propaganda of homosexuality among minors” - which is so broadly defined that appearing in public while clearly identifiable as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or intersex could be a criminal offence: Russian law does not even define homosexuality.
John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International, condemned the law as "an anachronism" saying that
“It will promote stigmatization by perpetuating the view that children should be protected from homosexuality. It will discriminate against LGBTI people, in a country where discrimination on ground of sexual orientation and gender identity is already widespread.
“This law will deny LGBTI people equality before the law by curtailing the activities of LGBTI human rights defenders, some of whom have already been harassed and assaulted. It will deprive LGBTI people of information that could be crucial for their sexual health.”
“This law perversely presumes that the moral, spiritual and psychological development of children is best served by denying them access to support and information that can help them make informed, autonomous and responsible decisions. The law is not just unjust, it is patently absurd.”
The book is intended to be read by a parent and child together, and the publishers - a group of LGBT activists - ask:
Would one divide modern families into "usual" and "unusual" and claim one is better than another?
Of course, not. However children will need help in order to make sense of this issue. The book "(Un) usual Families around Me" can facilitate the conversation with a child about self, parents and friends.
Modern children are raised in different families: with one or two parents, with foster or same sex parents, by parents with disabilities or by relatives. Divorce or loss of a parent is not an easy situation, but, as author claims, there's no fault of a child.
Colorful pictures with tasks in the book stimulate the imagination of a child and reserve space for questions and answers. Dialogues between Lena and her dad reveal the importance of love, respect and care as basic values regardless of family composition."
In a country where appearing in public as a lesbian couple with your children could now be a criminal offence if the police and the courts decide to make it so, this is an extraordinarily brave book.
The book includes short stories about same-sex families, single parent families, parents with disabilities, foster or adoptive parents, and parents who are divorced. Its main idea is that love makes a family, not its composition. It has already provoked discussion in the media and social networks. Every day "Coming Out" receives dozens of requests for the book from families all over Russia. However, a poll in the largest local internet forum for families with children shows that more than 40% of parents in St. Petersburg consider the book to be homosexual propaganda.
In the UK each year there is a LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week: many local authorities and adoption agencies across the country are holding events for same-sex couples and LGBT families who are interested in finding out how to become foster parents or adopt a child:
1 million LGBT people in the UK may have the potential to adopt or foster a child. There is a critical shortage of new parents, and LGBT people are often in an ideal position to offer a stable, loving home to a child or children that need one. Come to an event in March to hear how adoption and fostering has changed the lives of other LGBT people in your area, and find out more about the process. It could be the most fulfilling, surprising, challenging and rewarding thing you have ever done.
You can check here to find out if there's an event near you.
Being a parent takes courage and commitment.
Even if you do not live in a country where MPs still feel free to claim unapologetically that same-sex couples aren't capable of providing a warm and safe environment for their children: or an Education Secretary declare himself "disappointed" that the charity regulator has ruled an adoption agency cannot lawfully discriminate against same-sex couples.
"The 'traditional family values' they are teaching my child at school and on TV - heteronormativity, homophobia and transphobia - are not appropriate for our family,” says Sasha Semenova, author of the book and LGBT activist. “My friends and I, who are raising children, felt that we lacked something to help explain to kids the ideas of tolerance and respect.”
“Same-sex families feel threatened and intimidated by the “homosexual propaganda” law every day, just because they are raising children.
We felt that under these circumstances this book was especially important,” says Polina Andrianova, Coming Out director.
