Dana Rudolph
“Becoming a mom channeled my interests specifically into LGBTQ family issues,” writer and out parenting blogger Dana Rudolph tells GO. After leaving her job with Merrill Lynch to be a stay-at-home mom, she was inspired to start a blog for sharing tips with other gay and queer parents. After reviewing existing websites, Rudolph noticed that they focused on either LGBTQ+ politics and entertainment, or parenting; few, if any, were specific to LGBTQ+ parenting. So she created her own site, “Mombian,” in 2005 in order to fill this gap. “I saw a need for a site at the intersection of these areas, a hub for general and LGBTQ- specific parenting advice, family profiles, LGBTQ news from a parent’s perspective, summaries of research on LGBTQ parents and their children, and reviews of books and media for and about LGBTQ families,” she says. Rudolph’s GLAAD award-winning blog discusses a variety of topics, from lesbian families to resources for out parents to politics and entertainment. But the most rewarding part of her work “has been the community of LGBTQ families and advocates I’ve had the pleasure of meeting,” she says. Rudolph, who also writes one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ parenting columns in the country, encourages others in the community to share their stories on social media by hosting the annual #LGBTQFamiliesDay each June (this year on June 1). In 2021, after receiving many requests from parents, she created an extensive database of inclusive books for both children and parents, which she continues to keep up to date. By sharing these resources, and her own experiences as an out parent, Rudolph hopes she can support and encourage others who are starting or raising their families. –AB
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