Let’s start the week with a roundup.
Politics and Law
- Iceland’s Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir and her partner, Jonina Leosdottir, transformed their civil union into a marriage Sunday as the country’s marriage equality law went into effect. Sigurdardottir has two grown sons from a previous marriage.
- A Wisconsin appeals court ruled that a woman seeking guardianship of two children for whom she had been a stay at home mother for years was “not a parent” under state law and could not be the children’s guardian. The children had been adopted by her now-ex partner, but not by her, since same-sex couples cannot adopt in Wisconsin.
- Nancy Polikoff highlights a case in West Virginia in which a co-parent was denied guardianship of the children she has been raising with her partner—children from a previous opposite-sex relationship and a father who was later convicted of molesting other children. The court said there were other legal means by which the non-legal co-parent could secure decision-making authority over the children. Polikoff notes that the court documentation did not use the terms “lesbian” or “same-sex couple,” making this a case that almost slipped our attention. How many other such cases might there be?
Youth and Schools
- The Vallejo City Unified School District in northern California has said it will be using Groundspark’s “Respect For All Project” films and curriculum guides as a key part of its anti-bias training for both adults and youth. The district was required to institute mandatory training for teachers, staff and students as part of a settlement in a lawsuit brought by a lesbian student who was harassed by teachers and students.
- Mississipi teens Constance McMillen and Ceara Sturgis put the issue of same-sex couples and proms in the headlines. New Jersey’s Star-Ledger reports on how things may be slightly better, but are far from perfect, even in a more liberal state like New Jersey.
- The New York State Senate followed the Assembly and passed an anti-bullying bill that explicitly protects students who are bullied because of sexual orientation or gender identity, among other characteristics. Gov. David Patterson said he would review the bill, and seems generally supportive.
- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn also just signed an anti-bullying bill that includes specific protections for students on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Personal Stories
- Ryan Jent has a great article at Creative Loafing on the many sides of what it means to be a “gay family”: “We are families: The LGBT family’s many faces — gay parents, straight children, vice versa and in between.” (My only quibble: “LGBT family” would argue for some nod to transgender parents or kids, too.)
Media
- CNN has received numerous responses to its documentary Gary and Tony Have a Baby, as you might imagine, on all sides of the issue. Also, if you haven’t checked out CNN’s Gay in America portal, you should do so. It was launched in conjunction with the show, and hints at host Soledad O’Brien’s comments that Gary and Tony is just the start of a longer series. Lots of stories about couples and families of many different backgrounds.
- You should also go see this CNN video in which Kyra Phillips interviews Helena Andrews, author of the new book, Bitch Is the New Black: A Memoir
, and her lesbian mom, Francis.
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