What do you think?
Rate this book
Swelling with Pride: Queer Conception and Adoption Stories
There’s no straightforward path to LGBTQ2 parenthood and just as every queer person has their own coming out story, every LGBTQ2 family has a unique conception or adoption story.
In SWELLING WITH PRIDE: QUEER CONCEPTION AND ADOPTION STORIES, creative non-fiction writers celebrate LGBTQ2 families and the myriad of ways we embark upon our parenting journeys. These honest, heartfelt, unabashedly queer stories cover a gamut of issues and experiences, including the varied paths to queer conception—from DIY methods at home with the so-called “turkey baster” to pricey medical interventions at the fertility clinic—and the daunting task of choosing a sperm donor. This groundbreaking anthology portrays the journeys to LGBTQ2 parenthood that start or end with adoption and the countless hurdles that go along with it: from surviving the home study process and dealing with systemic homophobia to transitioning an adopted child into a new home. There are tales of shared nursing, blended families, communal parenting and non-binary pregnancy. There are also stories of grief, all too often suffered in silence, such as coping with infertility, pregnancy loss, stillbirth and adoption breakdown. These are the journeys of the early mavericks that formed families under the radar when fertility clinics were not open to singles and lesbians, as well as the Gen X and Millennial queers who’ve become parents during the current “gayby” boom.
Editor and proud queer mom Sara Graefe has assembled more than twenty-five creative non-fiction LGBTQ2 authors from across North America, both well-known and up-and-coming, including Andrea Bennett, Marusya Bociurkiw, Jane Byers, Susan G. Cole, Caitlin Crawshaw, Rachel Epstein, Terrie Hamazaki, Nicola Harwood, Natalie Meisner and many more. Together, their candid, moving, thought-provoking stories celebrate what it is to be queer and give voice to both the challenges and joys of building a LGBTQ2 family in a predominantly straight, cis-gendered world.
In SWELLING WITH PRIDE: QUEER CONCEPTION AND ADOPTION STORIES, creative non-fiction writers celebrate LGBTQ2 families and the myriad of ways we embark upon our parenting journeys. These honest, heartfelt, unabashedly queer stories cover a gamut of issues and experiences, including the varied paths to queer conception—from DIY methods at home with the so-called “turkey baster” to pricey medical interventions at the fertility clinic—and the daunting task of choosing a sperm donor. This groundbreaking anthology portrays the journeys to LGBTQ2 parenthood that start or end with adoption and the countless hurdles that go along with it: from surviving the home study process and dealing with systemic homophobia to transitioning an adopted child into a new home. There are tales of shared nursing, blended families, communal parenting and non-binary pregnancy. There are also stories of grief, all too often suffered in silence, such as coping with infertility, pregnancy loss, stillbirth and adoption breakdown. These are the journeys of the early mavericks that formed families under the radar when fertility clinics were not open to singles and lesbians, as well as the Gen X and Millennial queers who’ve become parents during the current “gayby” boom.
Editor and proud queer mom Sara Graefe has assembled more than twenty-five creative non-fiction LGBTQ2 authors from across North America, both well-known and up-and-coming, including Andrea Bennett, Marusya Bociurkiw, Jane Byers, Susan G. Cole, Caitlin Crawshaw, Rachel Epstein, Terrie Hamazaki, Nicola Harwood, Natalie Meisner and many more. Together, their candid, moving, thought-provoking stories celebrate what it is to be queer and give voice to both the challenges and joys of building a LGBTQ2 family in a predominantly straight, cis-gendered world.
264 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2018
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 14, 2019
3.5 stars There are some really stand out personal essays in here, although the collection is dominated by cis white lesbian couples having babies with donors which got a bit old. No trans women or two-spirit people are included which is an oversight for sure (although there are a couple non-binary writers). More people of colour would have been great too! Favourites included a Chinese Canadian lesbian adopting girls from China and having to swear she's "not a homosexual"; two bi women exploring polyamory and parenthood with a cis guy; experience of being non-binary and pregnant; non-gestational lactating lesbian mom; & a few sad stories, adoption and conception, with no kids in the end 😥. Full review on my blog!
July 26, 2021
enjoyed seeing the variety of queer stories of love, family, fertility, conception (sperm domation, diy, IVF etc), adoption and very much appreciated the stories and conversations about miscarriages which are not talked about regularly enough and is still stigmatized. many stories were Canadian which was a nice guideline. would like to see many many more BIPOC, trans, and two-spirit stories. story titles I was immedietely drawn to and I found to be wonderful were "O-Heso (Belly Button)" by Terrie Hamazaki and "Pathway" by Patrice Leung. other favourites are"How I (Finally) Became a Genderqueer Parent" by Jo Jefferson,"Double Rainbow Baby" by Amanda Roth, "How My Blended Family Was Brought Together by Same Love" by Beth McDonough.
February 8, 2025
I was disappointed when I went into this expecting more than just middle class monogamous married queer relationships. queer stories of going through IVF and adoption most certainly deserve to be told but I was hoping they wouldn’t be the only stories being told. I could be wrong, it’s been a while since i’ve read it but that was my take away then.
August 1, 2020
A vibrant anthology filled with diverse voices and experiences, beautifully written and vulnerable. There are so many ways to become a parent. There are so many ways to make a family.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews