Here’s what’s happening that I haven’t covered elsewhere—including a couple of pieces about living as queer parents in the Trump era.
Surviving in the Trump Era
- Martina Navratilova and Masha Gessen, queer women who both fled Communist regimes to immigrate to the United States, are married to women who are not U.S. citizens, and are raising children, write about “How Trump Has Taken Away Our Homes.”
- Kendal Esquerre writes at Mater Mea about “Finding My Inner Strength as a Black Queer Mom in Trump Land.” Check out her vlog, too!
Other Politics and Law
- The state of Indiana is appealing a federal ruling that says both moms in a same-sex couple have the right to be on their children’s birth certificates. Clearly they feel that kids of same-sex parents don’t deserve the legal protection of both parents. The only good news is that both parents will be recognized while the appeal is pending.
- A lesbian couple in the U.K. has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for their assisted insemination treatments, which are not covered under current law. The U.K.’s National Health Service will only cover fertility treatments if someone is diagnosed as infertile—a policy that automatically excludes fertile members of two-woman couples.
- A U.K. magistrate has been told to quit and is under investigation after refusing to hear a case involving two same-sex parents, “because of her own views on same-sex issues,” PinkNews reports.
Family Profiles
- The Intercept profiles Alexandre Louzada and Francisco David, a Brazilian couple who adopted three kids.
- A New Jersey boy has become the first openly transgender member of the Boy Scouts of America. The organization changed its policy last week to allow transgender children to become scouts.
Media and Entertainment
- Jan Kaminsky of Maplewood, New Jersey, has been chosen as one of 12 new members of the 2017 Disney Parks Moms Panel, and the first openly lesbian one. The role means she will help other families “make the most out of their visits to Disney parks,” reports TAP into. They note she is a registered nursing professor and lives with her wife and three kids, and in her spare time (!), volunteers with the local YMCA and LGBT organizations.
- Heather Has Two Mommies
, by Lesléa Newman, has been named the 2017 Lee Lynch Classic Award Recipient by the Golden Crown Literary Society, whose mission is “education and the promotion and recognition of lesbian literature.” They call Heather “an essential part of American literary history, children’s literature, LGBT literature, politics, and popular culture.”
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