Politics and Law

Blog for Choice Day

Today is the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. It is also Blog for Choice Day, so I’m going to venture a little off my usual topics in this post and talk about reproductive freedom as I see it.

Why Are Pregnant Lesbians Scary?

An article in the Mail & Guardian newspaper of South Africa asked this week, “Why are pregnant lesbians scary?” Umm . . . because we’re hormonal and know how to use power tools? The article itself is a rehash of the Mary Cheney pregnancy and why gay and lesbian parents are as good as any

Weekly Political Roundup

Deb Price of the Detroit News examines House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s child-laced photo-op, and calls on Pelosi to use her new clout to protect gay kids from harassment. The Arizona legislator who filed a bill calling for a new vote on a revised same-sex marriage amendment, has said he made a mistake and requested that

National Center for Lesbian Rights Launches Family Protection Project

Low-income, same-sex parent families may soon have an easier time finding family-law services geared to their needs. The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) launched its Family Protection Project this week, which aims to “help low-income LGBT parents protect their relationships with their children by increasing and improving the capacity of legal services organizations and

Gay Dads on Oprah

Mark your calendars and set your Tivos. The Family Pride Coalition has announced that two of their members, dads Mark and Andy Sutherland-Travino, along with their children and great niece, will be on the Oprah Winfrey Show on January 29, “the show’s first positive portrayal of a gay family!” Family Pride says: We are absolutely

A Quote for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today I want to pass along a quote from Coretta Scott King, wife of slain civil-rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Mrs. King was speaking at Lambda Legal’s 25th Anniversary Luncheon in 1998: As Martin once said, ‘We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny… an inescapable network of mutuality… I can

Would You Adopt Your Partner to Secure Her Rights?

A rare legal case in Maine is shedding an interesting light on questions of same-sex relationship recognition. Olive F. Watson had legally adopted her partner, Patricia A. Spado, in 1991, in order to ensure her financial security. Watson is daughter of former IBM CEO Thomas J. Watson, Jr., and granddaughter of the company’s founder, Thomas

Weekly Political Roundup

In 2008, Arizona voters could be deciding for the second time on a constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. Voters rejected a ban last November, the only defeat for such a measure in the country. The new ban would eliminate any mention of benefits for domestic partners or unmarried couples, in an attempt by conservatives to

Children’s Books About Martin Luther King, Jr.

This coming Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day here in the U. S. His work and the movement he led represent values that resonate with many of us, regardless of race. I thought it would be appropriate to honor the holiday by showcasing a number of books for young children about Dr. King. What

British Military Reaches Out to LGBT Servicemembers

This week, both the U. S.’s Human Rights Campaign and Britain’s Stonewall announced their latest lists of “Best Places to Work” for LGBT employees and allies. In the U. K., IBM holds the top spot. No surprise, given the company’s consistently good rating in HRC’s Corporate Equality Index—and remember the “I” stands for “International.” (HRC’s

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