Mary Jo Risher

Mary Jo Risher became a national figure in 1975 after losing custody of her 9-year-old son to her ex-husband in the landmark case Risher v. Risher. The case drew national attention to discrimination against LGBTQ+ parents, as her sexuality and relationship with partner Ann Forman were used in court to portray her as an unfit mother. One of the earliest jury trials involving a homosexual parent losing custody because of their sexuality, the case exposed deep legal and social biases of the era. Risher and Forman later became reluctant public figures, participating in a national media tour that raised awareness and financial support while sacrificing much of their privacy. Risher later co-authored By Her Own Admission: A Lesbian Mother’s Fight to Keep Her Son, a powerful account of the emotional and legal challenges she faced. Though her appeals failed, the case and the subsequent TV film A Question of Love helped bring some of the earliest positive portrayals of LGBTQ+ individuals into mainstream media.