Rosa Parks Has Died
Civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks has died of natural causes at age 92. As we continue to fight for civil rights for all, may we not forget those who have gone before us.
Advocating
Lambda Families of NJ 5th Biennial GLBT Family Conference
This coming Saturday, October 22, Lambda Families of NJ is hosting their 5th Biennial GLBT Family Conference at Montclair State College. It is a chance both to learn and socialize with other LGBT-headed families. There are workshops for parents, those planning on becoming parents, kids 8 to 11 years old, and kids 12 and over.
Same-Sex Marriage Suits and DP Insurance in New York
The Albany, New York regional state appellate court heard arguments Monday in three same-sex marriage suits, including one challenging the constitutionality of New York state marriage law. Regardless of the outcome, however, New York’s top court, the Court of Appeals, will ultimately give the final ruling on same-sex marriage. (Is it just me, or does
New Jersey Children of LGBT Parents Speak Out
Last Sunday, Garden State Equality organized “Let My Parents Marry,” a town-hall meeting where children of LGBT parents, and supportive children of straight parents, spoke in favor of same-sex marriage. While the audience was apparently appreciative, let’s hope the message reaches out to those who need to hear it.
South Asia Earthquake
Over 40,000 dead. Over 60,000 injured. 3.3 million homeless, with winter fast approaching. The South Asia earthquake is the third major natural disaster in the past twelve months, following Hurricane Katrina and the Indian Ocean tsunami, and as such, risks facing a world tired of donating, airlifting, and rebuilding. As a mother, I cannot read
How to Respond When Meeting Lesbian Moms
October 11th is National Coming Out Day in the U. S. Instead of offering advice on coming out (ably covered by the HRC Web site), I want to flip things around and offer a few hints to people who may be unsure how to react if lesbian moms come out to them. Don’t assume that just
Connecticut Civil Unions
Earlier this week, Connecticut became the second state after Vermont to recognize same-sex civil unions. It was the first state to do so by an act of the legislature rather than the judiciary. The good news is that this milestone caused barely a ripple, news-wise. The other good news is that couples unionized (or is
Arnie Terminates Same-Sex Marriage in California
On Thursday, as promised, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the same-sex marriage bill that had passed the California state legislature. He cited constitutional confusion that would result if the bill passed, since a state appeals court is already considering the constitutionality of the state’s same-sex marriage ban. Schwarzenegger did speak out in favor of domestic partnerships,
Banned Books Week
The American Library Association (ALA) is sponsoring their 14th annual Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, September 24-October 1, to remind Americans not to take intellectual freedom for granted. In observance of Banned Books Week, the ALA publishes a list of the most challenged books and authors of the previous year. A challenge
Finding Leverage: LGBT Rights and the Unbiased but Unknowing
I was talking recently with another local mom, who has a toddler about the same age as mine. She’s straight, but has been totally accepting of my relationship and our family. She’d recently enrolled her child in a daycare program that she liked, and wanted to know if I’d be interested. It turned out that