For the first LGBTQ Parenting Roundup of 2025, we have some awful news about anti-LGBTQ legislation—but also some more hopeful headlines. Come see what’s happening!
Politics and Law: Awful
Let’s cover the bad news first:
- Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed a bill that among other things, requires schools to out trans and nonbinary students to their parents and bans “instruction that includes sexuality content” for students in kindergarten through grade three. “Sexuality content” is defined as “oral or written instruction, presentation, image or description of sexual concepts or gender ideology.” “Gender ideology,” however, is not defined, and feels dangerously vague. (Not that defining it would make this law a good one, either.) The law does allow “Incidental references” to these topics “outside of formal instruction or presentations … including references made during class participation and in schoolwork”—but I think that line could be blurry at times. All told, it’s an awful new law. At least one crisis line for LGBTQ youth has reported a surge of calls from Ohio since the bill’s signing, reports FOX19.
- The U.S. House passed a bill (PDF) that would ban trans women and girls from sports in public schools. The bill, which is opposed by all major LGBTQ organizations, now heads to the Senate; you can contact your senators here and urge them to vote against the bill. I’m a former NCAA athlete myself, and I’m against it.
- Want more information? In the latest episode of sports podcast Good Game with Sarah Spain, Spain speaks with journalist Katie Barnes about the bill and why it’s a bad thing for both trans and cis women/girl athletes. Additionally, these slightly older articles about trans participation in sports are worth a read: “Four Myths About Trans Athletes, Debunked,” from Chase Strangio and Gabriel Arkles of the ACLU; and “Fair Play: The Importance of Sports Participation for Transgender Youth,” by Shoshana K. Goldberg at the Center for American Progress.
Politics and Law: Not Awful
On a better note:
- Mary Bonauto, the attorney and lesbian mom who helped lead the marriage equality fight in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont before arguing for marriage equality at the U.S. Supreme Court, was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal, the country’s second-highest civilian award, along with attorney and marriage equality leader and attorney Evan Wolfson.
- U.S. Rep and lesbian mom Becca Balint (VT-AL) was elected vice ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, the number two spot for Democrats on the committee. Balint also recently told LGBTQ Nation that “Republicans need to stop being such mean motherf**kers” with their attacks on trans kids.
- Karine Jean-Pierre, the first Black person and the first out LGBTQ person (and LGBTQ parent) to be White House press secretary, gave her final briefing yesterday. Deadline has the details. (OK, that’s kind of awful news in that she’ll no longer be bringing her intelligence and communication skills to the briefing room, but good news in that she’s had a successful tenure.)
- Denmark has a new law effective January 1, 2025, that allows a person to donate eggs to a partner (reciprocal IVF, like my spouse and I did) without prior medical justification. This opens up reproductive opportunities not only for LGBTQ couples in Denmark, but also in the U.K. and other countries where residents may travel to Denmark for reproductive care, as Mysocalledgaylife.co.uk reports.
- In December, the Lithuanian Constitutional Court ruled that a law prohibiting the dissemination of public information depicting same-sex relationships is unconstitutional. Among other arguments, explains the European Journal of International Law, “the Court found that restricting information about family models not based on marriage between a man and woman was unconstitutional, as such restrictions were ‘not necessary to protect the constitutional values’ and would prevent children from developing as ‘mature, comprehensive personalities.’”
Family Profiles
- Gay dad David Arrick writes at HuffPo about having a child and co-parenting with his straight best friend.
- Actor Neal Patrick Harris spoke with TODAY about his new off-Broadway show, parenting teens, and more (video).
Los Angeles Fires
- Finally, while this isn’t news specific to LGBTQ parents and our children, we should recognize that the fires in Los Angeles continue to burn, impacting LGBTQ families among many others. Autostraddle has a good list of organizations that are helping those affected, should you wish to consider donating to them.
