Families come in many forms. For some, family is made up of blood-relations, spouses, or children. For others, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, family is composed of the people they surround themselves with, those who offer support and comfort not found elsewhere. Chosen families are not a new idea, but it can be a foreign concept to those that have a supportive family structure.
In My Brother's Husband, Yaichi’s brother, Ryoji, recently died while living overseas in Canada. Yaichi soon finds his brother's husband, Mike, on his doorstep in Japan. Through the 2 volumes, Yaichi feels his family has lessened after the loss of Ryoji and that the presence of Mike threatens what he believes to be a traditional acceptable family structure due to Mike’s sexuality.
His daughter, Kana, on the other hand, is thrilled to spend time with her newfound uncle and learn all she can about him. Kana, unlike Yaichi, hasn’t learned the same biases and doesn't see Mike in a negative light. Mike is her uncle and that’s all she needs to know. As Yaichi starts to see Mike through Kana's eyes, he realizes that, despite his brother's death, his family has grown, not lessened, even though Ryoji’s marriage doesn’t fit cultural norms.
Gengoroh Tagame’s manga is a great example of learning how dynamic families can be. It can be made up of all sizes, genders, ages, or races. It demonstrates that despite heartache and hardship, you can find your family where you're least expecting it.
Check out this booklist that reflects a variety of families.
Families come in many forms. These books show and celebrate all families.
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