Children’s Book 'Makes Visible' Gay Parents in Peru

In a historic moment, a Peruvian children’s book featuring gay and lesbian parents will be introduced at the Cultural Center of Spain on Sept. 30.

The independent publishing house El Armario de Zoe edited the book, written by activist Veronica Ferrari – her first children’s book – and illustrated by Mayra Avila.

“For half of the books (we sell), LGBT families will buy it, the other half, it will be conservative groups that threatened to burn it,” said Ferrari jokingly. “After the significant participation in the last Gay Pride we started thinking there must be many homosexual parents that need to themselves reflected in these kind of stories.”

The book’s creator, Veronica Ferrari

The book Camila Has Two Moms' “seeks to make visible all these families of lesbian mothers and of gay fathers existing in Peru, but who are not recognized nor protected,” she added. “We want to tell them they are not alone and that living with dignity implies being prepared to be visible and confront the consequences with love and courage, and this way helping the fight against discrimination.”

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The book tells the story of Camila, 9, who is happily living with her mothers Lucia and Patricia and her one-eyed dog, until she enters a new school and a classmate asks her why she has two mothers. Not knowing what to say, Camila feels like a circus freak.

The school's director calls her to his office, rumors start to spread, but in the end Camila's mothers explain successfully to the other parents that it’s love that ties together their unconventional family.

In Latin America, other publishing houses have begun to promote children’s literature involving homosexual parents in places like Argentina and Chile.