Lindz Amer’s mission to spread queer joy began when they created popular web series Queer Kid Stuff in 2015 which has led to their latest project, a non-fiction handbook, Rainbow Parenting – Your Guide to Raising Queer Kids and Their Allies. The book – which Amer is quick to state is for everyone, not just parents – combines their interest in queer theory and experience of working with children and young people.
“It’s been an organic evolution over the past decade,” says Amer of their journey so far, which has included a viral TED talk on why kids need to learn about gender and sexuality, “around child rearing philosophy and how to create a queer gender affirming environment.”
Amer is rightly proud of the book, a culmination of two years of work and is excited by the positive feedback Rainbow Parenting has garnered from their peers in the parenting sphere. Author Britt Hawthorne called it “an incredibly thoughtful and comprehensive guide,” with author and podcaster carla joy bergman adding that the book is “infused with love on every page.”
However, writing the book wasn’t without challenges, not least due to the ongoing global media storm around trans rights and bills limiting the rights of transgender people being introduced in certain US states. “Every time I edited the book there was some new awful anti-trans thing happening. The true state of things for the mental health of queer kids is bad, which is why the dedication of the book is made out to them.” Amer believes positive change can happen and that society should see this as a wakeup call. “We know how to affirm straight and cis kids, now it’s time to spread queer joy as part of normal conversation.”
Amer speaks fondly of the support their own four parents, all of whom have read the book, have given. “I wanted to write about raising kids without assumptions on gender and sexuality partly because they missed out on [being educated about] that,” they say. “I hope [the book] helps parents. I hope it helps everyone who is raising kids and the kids themselves. It was a purposeful choice to mention allies in the title because queer gender and sexuality needs to be incorporated into our lives, our schools… we need a wider breadth, really.”
As for what’s next, Amer has no plans to slow down. Alongside creating fresh content for their successful Rainbow Parenting podcast and YouTube and Instagram channels, Amer’s summer schedule is packed. An East and West coast book tour celebrating the release of Rainbow Parenting threads through Pride month and on June 28 they host Pride-A-Palooza, a virtual event for children and their families’ showcasing performances from queer and trans artists including Grammy-award-winning hip-hop group The Alphabet Rockers. Amer’s first picture book Hooray for He, She, Ze, and They explores gender euphoria and pronouns and will be published by Simon and Schuster in 2024.
We all hope to make life easier for the next generation of LGBTQ+ people but Amer’s commitment to celebrating diversity has undoubtably made a positive impact.
