lesbian custody

video essay

Lesbian Custody (2025, 15 mins ) is a video essay about the landmark 1977 lesbian feminist documentary film In the Best Interests of the Children (dirs. Frances Reid, Elizabeth Stevens, Cathy Zheutlin) that humanized the issue of lesbian mothers fighting to regain custody of their children after coming out of the closet and divorcing their husbands. The video essay introduces viewers to Julie Stevens, daughter of filmmaker Liz Stevens and her step-mother, filmmaker Frances Reid. The essay provides both a personal and political context for the inspiration of the making of “In the Best Interests of the Children,” placing this nearly forgotten period of LGBTQ+ history in dialogue with today. This video explores what having lesbian mothers meant for their kids during the time when homosexuality was considered a mental illness. As a conversation between past and present, it highlights the impact of this too little known period of lesbian history, and provides a window into healing from the traumas of homophobia and child-separation.