A search has been announced to reconnect two lesbian grandmothers with a panto dame turned writer, after a chance encounter at Blackpool Pride inspired a children’s book. The women, whose names are unknown, met panto dame Mama G in 2021, during one of her popular book readings that took place at Blackpool Pride.
The pair reportedly spoke to Mama G about the lack of diversity in children’s literature, inquiring whether the performer knew of any books featuring lesbian grandmothers. Now, Mama G is in search of those two women, who inspired her latest children’s book; eager to dedicate the work to them.
Mama G has been a professional panto dame for twenty years, appearing in over fifty pantomimes during her career. She is known for popular ‘drag queen story times’, and has published several of her own works over the years, starting with her 2024 picture book, Oh Yes I Am! Her other works include: The Panto Song, and a panto-themed quiz book called Oh Yes It Quiz!
The performer’s latest book, The Proudest Bird in the World, is set to publish on 1st July 2026, and it is this work that is inspired by the lesbian grandmothers who could not find themselves represented in children’s books.
Mama G explains that the question stumped her. She told them: “I don’t actually think I’ve ever seen lesbian grandmothers in a story, not even as a subsidiary character.” Her response was disappointing to the women, and the conversation stayed with Mama G, who was inspired to write a book where two older gay women are “front and centre for a change”.
Mama G said the conversation with the women was a “wake-up call”. Adding: “These two women are facing an uphill battle when it comes to representation because they’re a minority within a minority and it really stuck with me.”
Despite weeks of appeals on social media, radio shows, and in newspapers, the two women’s identities still remain unknown. “I don’t have their names, I don’t even know if they were from Blackpool – they could have been visiting,” Mama G said.
Written by Mama G and illustrated by Venus Flanagan, the book tells the story of an ordinary white bird named Gilbert, who longs to express their true self. When they stumble upon a Pride parade, they discover that true colours do not have to live on the outside. It is two lesbian grandparents, at the centre of this book, who educate Gilbert and their granddaughter about what the colours of the rainbow flag mean to them.
“Lesbian visibility is considerably less than gay male visibility in just the media in general. The visibility of older LGBT people is greatly reduced from the visibility of LGBT-coded children or young adults.” explains Mama G.
“I think to get diverse books published you’ve got to look at smaller publishing houses because they’re in a better position to take a risk.
“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.”
