At Sundance this week, one of the most talked-about films is an indie comedy about a lesbian couple (played by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) who are "unwillingly reunited" with the anonymous sperm donor (played by Mark Ruffalo) who fathered their two teenaged children. From everything I've read about "The Kids Are All Right," it sounds like it's a complete winner and completely hilarious. New York Magazine says:

This may turn out to be one of the most significant lesbian films yet made — especially because it's premiering in the long shadow of Prop 8. But straight marrieds will have little trouble identifying with the undermining, bitching, nagging, teasing, and reconciling, either: Lighthearted and uproariously funny, it's not at all a gay-marriage film, but just a great film about marriage.

Bonus: the son character is named "Laser." Why didn't I think of that?!

Read more about the film:

• NY Magazine
• Variety

With some compromise and some creativity you can make even the biggest "night and day" differences between two kids sharing a space feel celebrated.

I have two stepdaughters. They don't live with us full time. And this summer they drove me absolutely INSANE. They fought all summer due to lack of personal space & feeling like people view them as a solid unit as opposed to individuals. They're in that place, developmentally, where they REALLY need to have their own individual identity. And in my fit of insanity I decided we could give that to them. Here's how we managed to turn one room into two decided separate spaces for two decided separate young women…

Continue reading "Conquering Shared Space for Teenagers" →

Oh this post from Dan Savage makes me so happy:

14-year-old Elliot (shown in this montage video that he notes "Dad let me upload ") has been out to his family since he was 12. For Halloween this year, Elliot's mom made his Lady Gaga costume and helped with makeup, and then his dad (costumed as a bodyguard) accompanied him to West Hollywood so that Elliot could go dance and sing with all the other street revelers.

It's so awesome to see how times are shifting for some gay teens …

Continue reading "One awesome way to support your gay son (yes, there's a Lady Gaga costume involved)" →

The first social reality of which I ever became aware was that my mother was the most embarrassing person on the entire planet.

She dressed loudly, spoke louder, and seemed never to have heard of make-up. She taught piano to poor children and senior citizens. She was a rebel with many causes and wouldn’t allow my sister or me to escape any of them. She burned dinner many a night.

When she attempted to sew me a pair of pants the pockets ended up at the ankles. When she lined up next to the perfect, well-coiffed stay-at home moms with whom she shared the P.T.A., I was certain that I had been cheated by having received a mama well below market-standards.

And so I rebelled.

Continue reading "Daughter of an offbeat mama" →