Some of the parenting-related stories that caught my eye this week, including a few items showing that more countries are protecting the legal relationships between children and their parents in a variety of family forms—but that many jurisdictions are still grappling with the issues raised by assisted reproduction and same-sex couples:
Family Profiles
- Amelia, who wrote “When Your 7-Year-Old Son Announces, ‘I’m Gay’” a couple of weeks ago at HuffPo, wrote a great follow up in which she explores the commonalities she has with other moms of gay and gender nonconforming kids: Sarah Manley, aka Nerdy Apple, “Queer Kid’s Mom,” of Raising Queer Kid, Kelly Byrom, a of HLN, and “CJ’s Mom,” of Raising My Rainbow.
- While you’re at it, read Kelly Byrom’s “Where’s the outrage over ‘macho’ Legos?” She points out the recent uproar over Lego’s new pink-laden “Friends” line, but observes, “Giving my son nothing but macho Legos while steering him clear of the ‘the pink aisle’ boxes him into a stereotypical gender role every bit as much as a “pinked-down” version of any traditional boy toy.”
Politics and Law
- Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s office said he will sign a bill to allow private adoption agencies to deny foster care or adoption placements that violate their written religious or moral convictions.
- An Ohio trial court grated shared legal and physical custody of a child to her biological and non-biological mothers in the long-running Rowell v. Smith case. Nancy Polikoff has the legal details, including the fact that the case is likely to be appealed.
- AFP reports on the first gay couple in Brazil to have a child through a surrogate. (AFP said “through in vitro fertilization,” which is technically true, although I’ve more often heard it specified as “surrogacy” when referring to two men. Not only that, but both men are listed as parents on their child’s birth certificate.
- YNet News reports that an Israeli court has recognized both women in a lesbian couple as equal parents to their five-year-old child. One woman donated an egg that the other carried. (As was the case with my spouse and I, the genetic mom would have had to adopt the child if they hadn’t gone to court.) Israel, however, banned egg donation in 2011, which means few other couples will benefit from the ruling. (Via Jezebel.)
- And the Miami Herald reports on a case in which the gestational mother left the genetic mother, taking their two-year-old child with her. The genetic mother finally tracked them down, and wants parental rights. A lower court said both women have parental rights—but now the Florida State Supreme Court will consider the case.
Bridges Among Our Families
- Not specifically an LGBT issue, but one that bears on many of our families: “Scooping It Up” at BlogHer offers some wise words on “What to Say to a Trans-Racial Adoptive Family.”