I’m torn about the possibility that Hawaii could become the next state to enact marriage equality. Once same-sex couples can marry on a beach in Maui, why would they want to marry anyplace else? On the other hand, hearing the story of Maureen Kilian and Cindy Meneghin, two moms who were among the plaintiffs in the case that won marriage equality in New Jersey, I know I want marriage equality everywhere. Watch:
My hometown team, the Boston Red Sox, is in the World Series. Earlier this week, New Jersey became the 14th state to enact marriage equality, with the possibility of several more to follow. All this got me thinking about parallels between the Red Sox and marriage equality.
Lesbian moms have been a vital part of the LGBT rights movement since there was an LGBT rights movement. The documentary Mom’s Apple Pie: The Heart of the Lesbian Mothers’ Custody Movement gives us a look at several early custody cases involving lesbian moms—and shows how the activism they spawned has had a direct impact on LGBT people and organizations today.
Despite that whole Prop 8 thing, California continues to be a leader in legal protections for LGBT families.
Russian authorities have halted adoptions of Russian children by Swedish same-sex couples, reports Swedish newspaper The Local. A spokeperson for the Adoptioncentrum agency told Sveriges Television (SVT) “It’s terrible. We have 13 children in Russian orphanages today who have been offered to parents in Sweden who they have actually met.”
I originally wrote this for my Mombian newspaper column last year, but as it’s LGBT History Month once again, I thought I’d rerun it—a look at some of the historical milestones—of laws, visibility, and community—related to LGBT parents.
Last week saw more moves towards marriage equality, and once again, lesbian moms were in the forefront.
Michigan legislators on the state House Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors have passed three bills that would give taxpayer-funded adoption agencies the right to deny an adoption placement based on that agency’s moral or religious beliefs. This is an anti-LGBT bill, no doubt about it — but it is the children needing homes who will suffer the most. . Here’s what you can do to help stop these bills from going any further.
It’s happened. A Russian lawmaker introduced a bill in the lower house of the Duma that would deny LGBT parents the right to be parents. It adds sexual orientation to alcoholism, drug use, and abuse as reasons for taking away custody of children. The bill cites a widely discredited study of LGBT parents by University of Texas sociology professor Mark Regnerus as support for its position.
Several announcements last week made it clear that same-sex couples who are legally married will be recognized as married by the U.S. government — even if they do not reside in a state that recognizes same-sex marriages. That’s generally good news for same-sex parents — although there are still a few things to keep in mind.
