LGBT Parenting Roundup
This week’s roundup includes two family profiles, including one of the first lesbian in the U.K. to use assisted insemination, a couple of twisty legal issues, a lovely school story, and more.
Family Profiles
LGBT Parenting Roundup — Post-Valentine’s Day Edition
I’m still in a happy mood from Valentine’s Day yesterday, so I’ll start you off with some happy stories about happy families before segueing into some more political items.
New Book by Lesbian Moms Looks at Racial Justice and LGBT Equality
In his second inaugural speech, President Obama linked “Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall”—the birthplaces of the women’s, Black, and LGBT equality movements—and reminded us of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words that (as Obama paraphrased) “our individual freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of every soul on Earth.” A new book about two lesbian moms and their children reminds us that LGBT equality is indeed bound to the need for racial justice.
In Memoriam: Charlie Morgan — Officer, Mom, DOMA Plaintiff, Cancer Fighter
The world has lost a fighter for justice. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard, and a lesbian mom, passed away this morning, Outserve-SLDN informs us. She had been fighting stage 4 breast cancer. Morgan was also a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Lesbian Moms Fight for Green Card to Keep Family Together
Becky is American. Sanne is Dutch. They met in India several years ago, fell in love, started their family, and married in the Netherlands. They lived there for some time, where Becky was fully recognized as Sanne’s spouse. They moved to the U.S., however, in order to be closer to Becky’s family in North Carolina, and decided that’s where home is for them. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), however, means they must live in fear that any day an immigration agent could show up at their door and remove Sanne. Becky says, “to some people it’s a vote, but to us, it’s our lives, and our family, and we’re not just a political issue or a platform.” Here is a video of their story.
An Immeasurable Loss
We in the LGBT parenting blogger community write often about bringing children into our families. We don’t often write about having them leave us. Timaree and Jodi, however, posted yesterday of the loss of their son, Caemon, who had been fighting a rare form of leukemia. My heart goes out to them.
Basketball Star Speaks Out for Two Mothers, Marriage
Basketball star Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets has two moms, as we found out a couple of years ago. He recently made a video with them for One Colorado, the state LGBT advocacy group that is leading the fight for civil unions in that state. “Nobody can ever tell me I can’t have two mothers, because I really do,” he said. Watch:
Teen Wins NPR Show’s “Performance of the Year” Award for Story About His Two Moms
Drop what you’re doing and take six minutes to watch this video. Trust me. Noah St. John is only 15 years old, but won NPR’s Snap Judgment show’s “Performance of the Year” award for his story about his two moms. I love it not only because of St. John’s amazing delivery, but also because he doesn’t hesitate to show that LGBT families face the same ups and downs as any others.
France’s First Baby of 2013 Has Lesbian Moms
Wow. I take a New Year’s vacation with my family for a few days (about which more later), and look what happens: The first baby born in France in 2013 has lesbian moms.
Transgender Parents Share Thoughts in New Film
Have 10 minutes? Then check out Transforming Family, a short new documentary that “jumps directly into an ongoing conversation among trans people about parenting.” I found I learned new things specific to trans parents’ experiences, but also found much to reflect on simply because all LGBT parents in some way love and/or live across traditional gender lines.