*IN THE Best Interests of the Children' is a film about lesbian mothers in America. It's very тисп а ргорадапоа пт, wrie: SUE MANSI of Lesbian Line, aimed at snowing to une ourside world that we are just like other MOLCIS.
One of the strongest points trom lesbian mothers in the film is that having struggled to realise theirown sexuality and redefine their life-style, the strength and openness that they have had to achieve is reflected in their children The children are given a lot of timetotalk about neir molners and the attitudes they come up against.
It becomes a bit repetitive, bull was good to listen to and l difficult times WaS remember that one 12-vear-old girl was not an 18-year-old What finally comes across is a superior view lesbian parenting.
The women most likely to lose custody ot their children are the most 'healthy' lesbians - those who are not prepared to repress their sexuality or hide their relationshins and involve. ments from their children for the sake of a court decision.
Something that was new to me is that apparently a lot of fathers, having made their point end up giving the children back to the The drudgery parenthood was not so much what they wanted as the legal victory.
It would be useful to know now many women enelo with their children after they have been awarded to the father, and how many go against EVOLLINE TESTICLOn them by judges who Along In Interests of the Children, kind of information would help the to expel the idea that it is "unnatural' for lesbians to bring of not many of us doing it anyway.
Unfortunately, the film has quite a heavy 'family' slant, and the little is said put possibilities of living in, say, do give collectives. It does not make any connecuon berween ine rejec the Best tion of the nuclear family and this societal structures and oppresIt's perhaps a film to take up children, and that there are | your mother to when you've | 8508/9.
TIRIS FILMS
5.5 *THE strength and openness of lesbian mothers is reflected in their children' come out to her, certainly about the have come prejudice.
questioning Children' Other Cinema 12-13 Little London and it's worth seeing as positive view of women who through the arricuities or custody cases and gained a strength in the face of In the Best Interests of the is available Distribution, Newport St.
WC2. Tel 01-734 marriage. adoption of children, employ ment, and censorsmip For instance, there have been only two cases of access and one of custody of children which have successfully It is good that the book also takes up the gross oppression of transvestitesandtranssexualsthe latter having no recognition at all within the law. It also argues simply and convincingly for paedophile relationships to De treatea in law on te same basis as any other sexual Thereis sadly no discussion of when and how to conduct a political campaign around court case. In fact, there is very little discussion of collective The Bookmarx Club is now an established method for socialists to get the best of new