This Sunday, we celebrate Mother’s Day by honoring our maternal bonds and the influence our mothers have had in our lives. We rarely get to see a family headed by two moms on our TV screens. These television programs help to show that modern queer families are just like any other family out there. Through these shows we get to see what it’s like for queer women navigating parenthood.
Let’s take a look at some of the queer TV moms that have graced our screens and continue to give visibility to LGBTQ+ moms everywhere.
(Photo: ABC)
Our favorite medical drama gave us one of the most iconic couples on the show. Callie and Arizona have a daughter named Sophie and even though things didn’t work out between them , they still fought for their daughter and in the end Arizona got full custody of the child. Their bitter child custody battle was so intense that some viewers had a hard time watching the episodes.
(Photo: tumblr / buckleys diaz)
Henrietta, played by Aisha Hinds, is a firefighter paramedic at Station 118 of the Los Angeles Fire Department. She is the only openly gay first responder in the show. She is married to Karen Wilson portrayed by Tracie Thoms. They are both career women, but they are dedicated to their son Denny and also volunteer as foster parents. The couple have been trying to expand their family but unfortunately, it has not been in the cards for them. Karen took it especially hard when they lost six viable embryos and it was eye-opening to see how the show handled this topic of a same-sex couple’s journey to having kids. The couple has been through their share of ups and downs, but they have been able to withstand the test of time.
Queer as Folk (2002) / Photo: Still Queer as Folk Podcast
Lindsay and Melanie have two kids and their journey has not exactly been easy. Melanie struggled with Brian who is the biological father of their son Gus . He keeps injecting himself into decisions about Gus’ upbringing and reneges on his promise to sign his parental rights over to Melanie. Luckily by the end of the series , they are able to come to terms. Through their love for each other and their family , Melanie and Lindsay are able to grow and be more secure and they balance each other completely.
Barnes (Roxy Sternberg) and her wife Charlotte (Fedna Jacquet. (Photo Credit: CBS)
Sheryll Barnes is a special agent of the Fugitive Task Force on FBI: Most Wanted and is portrayed by Roxy Sternberg. She is married to Charlotte Gaines played by Fedna Jacquet and they have two kids. Sheryll worries about not spending enough time at home due to the nature of her work. She is also concerned about the darkness she sees in her line of work. For Sheryll, her family is her safe haven and her driving force. Her wife who is a professor at law understands this and they work together to create a stable and healthy family. Obviously, marriage life is no walk in the park and there are bound to have a few bumps along the way but they work through them like any other couple.
“The Fosters” on ABC Family (Blazing Elm/Nitelite/Nuyorican Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock)
Although the show ended in 2018, it is still one of the best TV shows that positively portrayed queer parenting. The show followed Stef Foster, a police officer, and Lena Adams, a school vice-principal. They are raising one biological son and four adopted teenagers in San Diego, California. Stef and Lena did not have a picture-perfect relationship and like any other family, they struggled. Like any parents, they have been put through the wringer by their kids and they have to do a lot of crisis management while still trying to keep their relationship going.
