Is “the next frontier of family law” the legal recognition of families with more than two parents? From Hayley Mick at Toronto’s Globe and Mail comes an article that explores various new family arrangements, often involving a same-sex couple and either another couple or individual of the opposite gender. Many such families are drawing up contracts to protect themselves in case of internal dissent or external need (e.g., medical decision making), but they are sailing into uncharted territory.
At the beginning of the year, a Toronto court named three people—a lesbian couple and the biological father—parents of the same child, at their request. Earlier this month, a Pennsylvania court required a known donor to pay child support to the bio mom after she and her partner separated. He had been active in the child’s life, but had no formal arrangements with the mothers. Two different cases and sets of intentions, but both highlighting the need for legal clarification. At the very least, we need a way to separate those who want to parent with more than two from those who do not want their donors or surrogates to have rights over the child.
When same-sex couples finally win our rights, will multiple-parent arrangements soon follow suit, or will the idea of a parenting dyad prove even stronger than that of opposite-gender parents?
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