Recognizing the Language and Literacy Resources of Young Children With Lesbian Mothers

• In Event: Stories of/in Equity and Social Justice in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This paper explores the home language and literacy practices of young children with lesbian mothers. By recognizing and honoring these experiences, educators can understand and support these children’s language/literacy development as they enter school. Specifically, I show that unlike most language/literacy practices in heteronormative schools, young children from lesbian-headed families regularly use spoken and written language within their homes to incorporate and validate queer people and relationships, including but not limited to their kinship with one another. Because an estimated 4-14 million children have lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) parents, educators must become more familiar with the queer-inclusive literacy practices that these children are accustomed to and bring with them as they move from their (gay) homes to their (straight) schools.

Author

• Caitlin Law Ryan, East Carolina University