One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads

Valentine, Johnny. One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dads. Los Angeles: Alyson Wonderland, 1994.

This story is about a boy who has two Dads who are “blue”. Though it is again not outwardly stated that this is a gay couple. I feel is well implied in the context. I like this book for exactly the opposite reason I like Emma and Meesha My Boy. This book is much more explicit in talking about issues surrounding same-sex couples. The book makes references to the parenting abilities of same-sex couples, and how they “became gay”. It does all of this in the guise of them being “blue” meaning different or gay. I think the book does a good job explaining that same-sex parents can do all the things a heterosexual couple can do with their children. This is potentially problematic because it is saying that same-sex couples are just like heterosexual couples, which is true on some fronts, but same-sex couples are not granted many of the privileges as heterosexual couples. It also talks about how you don’t become gay from eating or touching something, or by being around someone who is gay. It is interesting to have this in a book because it can dispel the “how you become gay” stereotypes. Though I liked the book a lot, I find myself wishing that it were stated in the book that the dads are gay. I think that would have tied these explanations directly to the group it is implied that they are discussing. Therefore making it more meaningful for the reader.