About Stewart Blandón Traiman

Stewart has gathered a wide breadth of genealogical source knowledge with over 30 years of experience in the field, both online and offline. He speaks on LGBTQ Genealogy, Excel for Genealogists, Citations, and more. He's been blogging about LGBTQ Genealogy since 2018.

LGBTQ Genealogy & Software – Part 3

By |2023-11-18T16:12:52-08:00April 15th, 2021|

Modernizing Genealogical Software for Inclusive Family Histories

Genealogical software has played a pivotal role in documenting family histories, but the evolution of family constellations has outpaced the capabilities of most applications. In this blog post, we’ll explore the current state of genealogical software, focusing on same-sex relationship documentation and the […]

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LGBTQ Genealogy at FindMyPast

By |2023-11-18T15:19:52-08:00March 15th, 2021|


FindMyPast At Home Interview Recap

I extend my gratitude to Jen Baldwin and Eleanor Overthrow-Jones of FindMyPast for their interest in LGBTQ Genealogy. A heartfelt thank you to all the listeners who participated in the live interview on February 25, 2021, or are currently watching the recording on

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LGBTQ Genealogy & Software – Part 2

By |2023-11-18T15:00:44-08:00February 15th, 2021|

Evolving Family Structures

In our rapidly changing world, family structures are diversifying, challenging the traditional norms embedded in genealogical software. As I discussed in the previous installment, family constellations today are often unique and complex, encompassing relationships defined by DNA, adoption, step-parenting, fostering, or personal choice. It’s not just an […]

LGBTQ Genealogy & Software – Part 1

By |2023-11-18T14:21:21-08:00January 15th, 2021|

Imagine Software Beyond Hetero-Centricity

This installment marks a shift in our LGBTQ Genealogy series, turning the spotlight onto genealogical software—both online and offline. Often, the available software falls short in accommodating diverse family constellations, as it tends to be hetero-centric, designed primarily for cisgender, heterosexual couples with biological children. To […]

#LGBTQgenealogy: A History

By |2023-11-18T12:05:06-08:00December 15th, 2020|

#LGBTQGenealogy: Charting its Evolution

In 2017, Judy Russell, known as The Legal Genealogist, delivered a compelling presentation at the FGS Conference in Pittsburgh titled “Rainbows and Kaleidoscopes: Inclusion as a Society and Corporate Genealogical Standard.” Her call for diversity and inclusivity within the genealogical profession resonated deeply, challenging the narrative […]

Writing Your Own Obituary

By |2020-11-15T07:30:54-08:00November 15th, 2020|

Write your own obituary, because who can do it better than you? Who amongst your surviving relatives will know why you took the life paths you did? Who will have the insight and writing skills to convey to generations to come who you were in life?

As genealogists, we are happy […]

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LGBTQ Genealogy – Part 20

By |2023-11-18T11:20:10-08:00October 15th, 2020|

Embracing Diversity in Genealogy with a Rainbow Prism Perspective

Throughout this blog series, we’ve embarked on the journey of uncovering LGBTQ clues when someone in our family’s history raises our rainbow flag fancy. Remember the confirmed bachelor or spinster aunt was not by default unlucky in finding a spouse. Perhaps they […]

LGBTQ Genealogy – Part 19

By |2023-11-18T10:51:12-08:00September 15th, 2020|

Unlocking LGBTQ Heritage by Navigating the Archives

Perhaps an LGBTQ ancestor left behind a collection of love letters like Willa Cather or Charity Bryant.  Or maybe there is an existing dairy confessing details of their love life. An ancestor may have been mentioned in a queer organization’s newsletter. With […]

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Taphophilia

By |2020-08-08T09:05:02-07:00August 15th, 2020|

Taphophilia

I love cemeteries.

I am a taphophile. And maybe you are too.

Taphophilia is “a love of funerals, cemeteries and the rituals of death.” [1]  You might also call me a Tombstone Tourist but I like the term taphophile best.

Cemeteries are art, history, genealogy, class, religion all rolled into one. A grave allows a tangible […]

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