In an age of abundant visual storytelling, U of T alumnus Saul Freedman-Lawson stands out not only for their illustrative talent but also for subverting expectations in the genre of illustrated books and graphic novels. Their latest collaboration with author S. Bear Bergman, titled Special Topics in Being a Parent, is a clever graphic guide to practical parenting, that insightfully intersects art, queerness, and parenthood. 

In an interview with The Varsity, Freedman-Lawson shared their perspective on what illustrating such a book meant to them and how their own experiences as a queer and trans person inform their artistic practice and its unique place in the genre.

Freedman-Lawson’s illustrations in Special Topics bear a tender, almost poignant quality that reflects a serious thought process. The illustrations complement Bergman’s text and add depth to it. In our conversation, Freedman-Lawson explained that they approach illustration as a dialogue with the content rather than merely an embellishment. Instead of serving as decoration, Freedman-Lawson’s illustrations critically engage with and expand the narrative. They challenge the reader to consider what parenting should look like, who gets to be a parent, and what kinds of families deserve representation in our cultural narratives. With this approach, Freedman-Lawson’s illustrations utilize symbolic depth to striking effect. 

Through Freedman-Lawson’s artistic rendering, a couch embodies the full measure and gravitas of a home, and a home takes on the shape of a human heart. In flourishing Bergman’s ideas — who is also a trans man — Freedman-Lawson uses these illustrations to convey the nuances of queer parenthood. The book emphasizes the need for diverse, community-oriented family structures, and acknowledges the particular strangeness of being a new parent from a marginalized and often oppressed social group, suddenly granted the immense power to shape the life of a more vulnerable person. This dynamic is as uncharted within our public discourse as it is unexplored as an artistic subject, but Freedman-Lawson and Bergman dare to tread there. 

What’s immediately striking about Special Topics is its refusal to fit into predetermined structures of the illustrated form. Illustrated books for adults often fall into one of two categories: visuals are either used to simplify and entertain or to express dense theoretical ideas. But Freedman-Lawson’s work resists the pressures of this binary, navigating complex emotional and social realities with a light touch while avoiding the temptation to oversimplify. 

During the interview, Freedman-Lawson touched on how their identity informs their approach to illustration. As a queer trans person, they bring a perspective that is often missing from mainstream perceptions of both parenthood and the work of illustration. As a queer child turned queer adult — Freedman-Lawson’s perspective draws them to families relegated to the margins of conventional parenting books or overlooked in the broader spectrum of illustrated media. Engaging with Freedman-Lawson revealed how the very act of illustrating diverse families — trans families, queer families, chosen families — constitutes a radical and necessary practice, especially in a world that often discourages the association of queerness with childhood and childcare. This makes it both vital and challenging to create queer art related to early life experiences.

Freedman-Lawson’s personal journey informs much of their artistry. In their interview with The Varsity, they discussed how imagery they observed growing up shaped their approach to trans childhood, particularly because much of it did not engage queer and trans children in realistic, complex ways. This lack of representation left an imprint on Freedman-Lawson, pulling them to create work that isn’t always neat or simple. Their art voices marginalized communities while leaving room for a range of unique lived experiences. 

In Special Topics, Freedman-Lawson’s illustrations defy heteronormative and cisnormative depictions of family. Instead, they expand the idea of the family portrait by depicting non-binary caregivers, interracial queer families, or unconventional parenting methods that prioritize love and community over rudimentary biology. One of the most poignant images in the book arises from this concept: Bergman and Freedman-Lawson collaborate to transform the traditional family tree into a broader representation of ‘the family garden.’ This expanded metaphor incorporates not just the usual immediate family, but also those outside the traditional family mould who show care — acts of love that are essential for survival.

The intimate illustrations are not merely aesthetic; they function as emotional landscapes, embodying the humour, heartache, and joy of parenting. In one section of the book, Bergman discusses the challenges of raising a child in a world that is not always kind to difference, and Freedman-Lawson’s artwork reflects this tension while maintaining a sense of hope. 

In fact, Freedman-Lawson’s art often provides the levity needed to engage with heavy topics, such as gender roles and heteronormativity, without overwhelming readers with the harsh realities of the gendered society in which we live. The lightness Bergman and Freedman-Lawson create — evident in small, witty details and the playful expressiveness of Freedman-Lawson’s characters — serves as a counterpoint to the weighty subjects explored in the book.

An important emphasis that Freedman-Lawson made is the collaborative nature of their work — not just with Bergman but with the readers, too. They hope that readers — especially queer and trans individuals — will see themselves in the illustrations and feel not only represented but also cared for. In this sense, Special Topics isn’t just a book; it’s a mirror for those who have felt unseen, a guide for parents trying to navigate the messy, beautiful world of raising children, and a testament to the power of illustration in storytelling.

Special Topics in Being a Parent is a celebration of queerness and the radical act of embracing difference — both in art and in life. Where the genre fears to tread, Freedman-Lawson and Bergman courageously apply creativity and compassion to break new ground.