Zach Wahls, the son of two lesbians who became an internet star overnight for his vigourous defence of same-sex marriage, has written a book about his childhood and his parents’ relationship.
Wahls, now 21, and his younger sister were conceived using IVF and donor sperm. They were raised by their two mothers, biological mother Terry Wahls (known as ‘tall mom’) and non-biological mom Jackie Reger (who Wahls calls ‘short mom’).
The couple have been married legally since 2009, but in 2011 state lawmakers decided to make a constitutional amendment that would repeal the legality of gay marriages in Iowa.
At 19 years old, Wahls decided to go and speak in the Iowa House of Representatives where he delivered a passionate defence of same-sex marriage.
The video recording of his speech ‘Two Lesbians Raised a Baby And This Is What They Got’, became a YouTube sensation with nearly 17 million hits. (Video Below.)
Wahls achieved mainstream media attention in the international and national press – and appeared on daytime and primetime TV shows in the US. When he met Ellen Degeneres, she called him “a hero for speaking out” in defence of same-sex marriage. Three years later he has written a memoir ‘My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family’.
In the book, Wahls argues that his life is not much different from most Americans, and discusses the pain of being painted as a threat to “traditional values”.
He says that family – no matter how it’s constructed – is a fundamental building block of society. In doing so, he hopes to deliver a message to other kids with same-sex parents who feel outcast: you are not alone.
By Chris McMurray