Religion and LGBTQ equality are often portrayed as incompatible. That’s why I was so happy to see people of several faith traditions take part in Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day, reminding us that faith and being LGBTQ (or loving and supporting someone who is LGBTQ) can, for many, go hand in hand, even if it may take some effort. Here are some of their posts.
While we’ve been gearing up for and winding down from Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day, lots of things have been in the news related to LGBTQ families. Let’s round them up!
A new law in Washington, D.C. is drawing lesbian couples from other jurisdictions to give birth there — and a bill making its way through the California legislature could simplify the paperwork and clarify parenting arrangements for same-sex couples in that state.
Not one, but two states have gained marriage equality this week, as Pennsylvania today joined Oregon. And lest anyone feel that U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane’s ruling in the Oregon case was influenced by the fact that he is a gay dad, consider that straight U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III, who ruled in Pennsylvania, was appointed by President George W. Bush and backed by anti-LGBT Senator Rick Santorum (R).
U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane yesterday struck down Oregon’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples, issuing a ruling that draws on his own experience as a dad, and ends with one of the most poetic passages I’ve ever seen in a legal document. McShane is also openly gay.
I’m pleased to report that a day before the 10th anniversary of the ruling that brought marriage equality to Massachusetts, there are still no swarms of locusts, plagues, or other signs of heavenly disfavor. In fact, in 2004, the same year that marriage equality was enacted, the Red Sox won the World Series after an 86-year gap, breaking the infamous “Curse of the Bambino.” Just saying.
Let’s set aside the obvious political stories for a moment to take a look at some other LGBT parenting news, including a few family profiles, entertainment news, and penguins. Seriously, with all these stories, the penguin should be adopted as the mascot for LGB parents.
It’s been a great few days for marriage equality, with an Arkansas state judge and a federal judge in Idaho striking down those states’ bans on marriage for same-sex couples. As with similar rulings in other states, the welfare of children weighed heavily in the judges’ decisions.
Same-sex couples seeking marriage equality in both Florida and Idaho were in court recently to make their cases. As in California, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, among other states, parents were among the majority of the plaintiffs. Why? Some of the plaintiffs and an organizational leader behind one of the cases offer complementary perspectives.
(This was originally published last week as my Mombian newspaper column.)
A safe and successful Boston Marathon one year from the one that broke all our hearts.
