Brushwood Rose, C. & Goldberg, S. (Eds.). (2009)
Toronto: Insomniac Press

This collection explores the phenomenon of the “known donor” in the queer family structure: what happens when would-be dyke moms or gay dads ask a friend or acquaintance to donate sperm or an egg, or to act as a surrogate?

With no clear models to follow, these new versions of the queer family are creating their own, addressing questions like: What does “donor dad” mean, anyway? And what’s a “donor mom”? What’s the difference between being a donor and being a parent? What happens to non-biological parents when a known donor is also part of the picture? When and how does biology count — or does it? Why do parents choose known donors and what happens if things get ugly? And what does it all mean for queer families already facing extraordinary social pressures?

And Baby Makes More pushes at the boundaries of current family conceptions. This quirky, funny, and occasionally heartbreaking collection of personal essays offers a front-row view into the relative risks and unexpected rewards of queer, do-it-yourself baby-making, and the ways in which families themselves are re-made in the process. The authors — donors, biological and non-bio parents, and their children — offer provocative, nuanced insights into what it means to be or use a known donor — and how queer families are being reconceived to include new roles, new rules, and, sometimes, more than two parents.

WINNER – 2010 Golden Crown Literary Award, Anthology