Despite second-parent adoptions being dropped from a recent civil union bill in Italy, one two-mom family has just managed to adopt each other’s legal children.
A Rome family court granted the two women’s request for second-parent adoptions, the 15th such ruling since 2014, reports The Guardian. Marilena Grassadonia, president of Famiglie Arcobaleno (Rainbow Families), said in response that we “should simply look at the world through the eyes of children to understand that protecting them in their suffering is the only way to go in order to guarantee them a more serene life.” [“Bisognerebbe semplicemente guardare il mondo con gli occhi dei bambini per capire che tutelarli nei loro affetti è l’unica strada da percorrere per garantire loro una vita più serena.”]
Last week, however, the Italian Senate approved legislation permitting civil unions for same-sex couples—but left out a provision that would have allowed these couples to adopt each other’s children. Italian news agency ANSA reported that the ruling Democratic Party (PD) Senate Whip Luigi Zanda said “a separate bill on stepchild adoptions by partners in civil unions — including gay ones — will be on ‘a fast track’ and must be approved by the end of the current legislative term in 2018.” Reuters reported Sunday that this is moving ahead. I suspect it may have been spurred by the protests of LGBTQ groups against the adoption-free version of the civil union legislation.
Still, the PD’s coalition partner, the New Centre Right party, seems less inclined to be supportive. Kudos to the LGBTQ advocates who are working to changes hearts and minds, and keeping the best interests of children first.
Step by step, as you say.