My Rainbow Family: Croatia has released a children's book about same-sex families

Zrinka Znidarchich bought her two-year-old son Patrick a new picture book and now can barely contain her emotions. "He was just delighted, picked up a book and said, 'This is familiar to me,'" Zrinka shared. The book is called "My Rainbow Family". At first glance, it looks like any other children's book: a lot of illustrations and little text. But it quickly becomes clear that we are talking about a different story here.

Source: BBC

You can start reading the book from the beginning and from the end: there are two different stories that meet in the middle. There are two heroes in the book — a girl who grows up in a family of two fathers, and a boy with two mothers. For the first time in Croatia, a book was released showing families with same-sex parents. And for people like Zrinka, who has been in a civil marriage with a woman since 2014, this book is a reflection of her family.

"My rainbow Family" is a joy for families like Zrinka's. But this is a challenge to conservative organizations supported by the Catholic Church. Five years ago, they held a referendum that blocked the government's plans to legalize same-sex marriage. Now their eyes are turned to the children's book.

The Vigilare organization claims that its mission is to "promote the natural identity of marriage between a man and a woman in which children are brought up." Vigilare calls "My Rainbow Family" propaganda of homosexuality and calls on the Minister of Education to ban it in schools.

Senada Shelo Shabic of the Zagreb Institute for the Development of International Relations says that the revival of conservative forces occurred after Croatia joined the European Union five years ago.

The attitude to the book about same—sex marriage is only one of the symptoms of confrontation in society. Radical nationalism has increased in the country and there have even been cases of Holocaust denial. Not far from the place where the Jasenovac concentration camp was located, a sign with a fascist slogan was installed. It took the authorities almost a year to remove him. Senada Shelo Shabic argues that this is an anxious time.

But the publisher of "My Rainbow Family" is optimistic. Daniel Martinovic, one of the founders of the Croatian organization Rainbow Families to support same-sex families, said that positive reviews for the book came not only from sexual minorities.

The reaction of the Ministry of Education adds weight to Martinovich's words: Catholic associations may not represent as many people as they claim. Blazenka Divyak, the Minister of Education, ignored the open letter from Vigilare and said that parents can decide for themselves whether their children will read "My Rainbow Family" or not.

A similar situation was in Britain in the 80s of the last century. Kenneth Baker, the Minister of Education in the government of Margaret Thatcher, opposed the publication of the first English-language children's book about same-sex parents. He called "Jenny's Life with Eric and Martin" "blatant propaganda of homosexuality." Since then, attitudes in Britain have changed. And Zrinka Znidarcic is convinced that the growth of openness in Croatia will bring its dividends, and "My Rainbow Family" will play a role in reducing the negativity towards same-sex families.