Children's Book Tackles Gay Marriage With Subtlety
In the wake of Tangogate, another children's book with gay themes and anthropomorphic animals has been released to moderate controversy. What's notable about Uncle Bobby's Wedding, however, is that the characters' homosexuality are not at the forefront of the plot.
The story is about a young guinea pig anxious about losing the attention of her favorite uncle after his upcoming wedding. The fact that Uncle Bobby is marrying a male guinea pig is almost a mild afterthought. Homosexuality is portrayed as not only acceptable but unexceptional, so much so that it simply fades into the story's backdrop.
The book has been positively reviewed so far, though I imagine already banned in more conservative communities. Still, it's nice to see what may be the beginnings of a culture where being gay is just plain no big deal.
Fur Better or Worse: Gay Guinea Pigs Wed in New Children's Book [AfterElton]
Will O'Wisp
Posted to Books, Gaiety on 27 March 2008
· Comments (3)
Other stuff like this: children, guinea pigs, same-sex marriage
I'm a preschool teacher, and we have a week devoted to "families"... I should see if I can find copies of these sorts of books to have in my classroom.
Nate, have you checked out One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dads, Blue Dads? It's really cute. And it brings in race and other differences too.
My favorite part is where the kid goes skydiving with his blue dads, and he can't see them because they match the sky. Ha ha ha!!!! Classic.
I tried to get my mom, a second grade teacher, to use it but she lives in a small conservative town and was too chicken shit.
I'm a sucker for cute picture books, and this looks downright adorable. Gay guinea pigs FTW!