BLACKPOOL — A search is underway for two lesbian grandmothers who inspired a children's book after a meeting with performer Robert Pearce, known as Mama G, at Blackpool Pride in 2021. The children's book, titled The Proudest Bird in the World, is scheduled for publication on July 1.
During a book reading at Blackpool's Winter Gardens in 2021, two women approached Mama G to discuss the limited diversity in children's literature. Mama G stated the women specifically requested stories featuring lesbian grandmothers. This conversation prompted him to begin writing a children's picture book centered on two older queer women.
Mama G has utilized social media, radio, and newspapers in an attempt to locate the two women. He intends to dedicate The Proudest Bird in the World to them if they are identified. The women are described as approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall with short hair; one reportedly had salt-and-pepper loose curls and may have worn jeans and striped tops at the 2021 event.
He noted a perceived lack of representation, stating, "I don't actually think I've ever seen lesbian grandmothers in a story, not even as a subsidiary character." He added that lesbian visibility is generally lower than gay male visibility in media, and the visibility of older LGBT individuals is also reduced compared to younger LGBT-coded characters. A 2022 U.S. study indicated that LGBTQ+ characters are rarely central protagonists in children's literature, despite an increase in related titles since 2000.
Publishers initially declined to publish Mama G's first book, Oh Yes I Am!, due to concerns it might be perceived as an LGBT story. Oh Yes I Am! was published in 2023, and The Proudest Bird in the World will also be released by independent publishers.
Mama G is scheduled to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer. He expressed anticipation for the book's release and hope that the inspirers will be located. "I'm excited to see what happens with this book – and I hope that if we do find the lesbian grandmothers, they will be proud to be a part of it," he said.