The Rhinestone Sisterhood by David Valdes Greenwood

Amazon.com

Powell's Books

Today is a very exciting day for me, as I have a chance to make a little history. AOL's family site ParentDish has created a new column, The Family Gaytriarchs, in which I am one of two alternating columnists. This is the first time ever that a mainstream media outlet has ever added gay parents to their official roster of columnists and I am thrilled to be helping break this new ground. I will be writing on alternate Wednesdays, beginning today. My first column that starts like this:

When my daughter was not quite 3, she told my husband and me that she wanted to be a chicken for an upcoming costume party.

We thought this was hilarious and I found myself snootily proud of her choice. See, my kid's no joiner. Let every other girl be Cinderella; mine is going to be a chicken.

I did what any self-respecting gay dad would do next: I bought feathers -- lots of them -- and began sewing the bantam costume of her dreams. But then, the unthinkable happened: She came home the next day saying she wanted to be a princess, instead. How did this happen?!

She'd gotten the idea from day care, though it was never clear whether the mastermind had been a teacher or playmate -- toddlers can be so vague! Either way, I was outraged and disappointed that she'd been led away from her perfectly original first idea and steered down the conformist path. So, as excited as she was about her new choice, I didn't exactly run to a fabric store to make her a fabulous ball gown.

Read the rest at ParentDish.

I'm hoping you'll visit the column regularly.

Here are 5 ways you can help spread the word:

1) Just click on the link above, which will add viewership to the page, which AOL carefully tracks. The more viewers, the more support. 
2) Post a comment (about the column's existence in general or its content in specific, but not about being happy for me personally). The more comments, the more evidence of a column's value. Of course, I'd love to read your comments here on Red Room, too.
3) Tell friends about it on your FB page, in your online groups, other social networking sites, and forums. Be brief and enthusiastic and include the link.
4) Write about it or mention it to peers at your publication who might be interested.
5) E-mail friends/peers/groups who you think might be interested and ask them to do all of the above.

Thanks for any support you can offer!