Good news: The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear the case of “ex-lesbian” mom Lisa Miller, letting stand a ruling that Virginia must enforce a Vermont court order awarding child-visitation rights to Miller’s former civil-union partner Janet Jenkins. This is the same case that Newsweek covered this week as well. Best wishes to six-year-old
It’s time for another collection of news and fun stuff for LGBT parents: Put on your flak jackets. “It is same-sex parenting that is heating up as the next skirmish in the nation’s culture wars,” asserts the Chicago Tribune. Nancy Polikoff points out just how scary are the proposed Bush rules that would allow healthcare
The latest issue of Newsweek has a long piece by Lorraine Ali, “Mrs. Kramer Vs. Mrs. Kramer” covering the child custody case between former civil union partners Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller. This is the case that I’ve covered many times before, which has bounced between the jurisdictions of Vermont and Virginia. It’s good to
“If [an LGBT-inclusive hate crimes law] passes, you will still be able to call me a faggot. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re in the banking industry, however.” —Congressman Barney Frank, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, speaking at the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund luncheon today
Helen and I tell viewers what parents don’t want people to get their kids for the holidays. (Remember this vlog is also published at After Ellen, where there’s a higher percentage of non-parents.) We then offer some ideas for presents that fit these tough economic times and probably won’t get returned. Plus: why our Christmas
The Wall Street Journal (via DailyKos) reports that President-elect Barack Obama is vetting community organizer and labor leader Mary Beth Maxwell for the position of labor secretary. Maxwell is also a white, out lesbian mom with an adopted black son. Not that any of those identities necessarily qualify her for the job, but I’d like
The guinea pigs have had the spotlight this year, as picture book Uncle Bobby’s Wedding has faced several attempted challenges from library patrons who wanted to remove or reshelve it. The penguins of And Tango Makes Three are not out of danger yet, however, as a school board meeting in Ankeny, Iowa made clear. Cindy
(Originally published in Bay Windows, November 20, 2008. This has less to do with parenting than most of my pieces, but may be of interest to those of you who have children in college, were/are involved in collegiate LGBT groups yourselves, or are lawyers.) OutLaw, the LGBT student group at Boston University School of Law,
Today is World AIDS Day. AIDS has impacted many people we know and communities of which we are part. Since this is a parenting blog, however, I thought I would highlight some recent statistics about AIDS and children. The numbers, of course, don’t capture the personal stories, the parents who must watch their children die,
Another blow to the “it’s unnatural” argument against same-sex parents: Two male penguins at a zoo in China are so desperate to become parents that they are attempting to steal other penguins’ eggs and replace them with stones, reports Britain’s Daily Telegraph. The zookeepers have separated the pair from the rest of the group, but
