“Moms Get Real About Race in America”: Read the Posts!
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights March on Washington this week, MomsRising.org has published a blog carnival, “Moms Get Real About Race in America.”
Politics and Law
Lesbian Mom and Gay Dad Speak at March on Washington 50th Anniversary
Yesterday’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington included many amazing speeches, including President Obama’s — but for the purpose of this blog, I want to highlight two speeches by LGBT parents: Eliza Byard and Alan Van Capelle.
Learn More About Two of the Gay Dads Challenging Nebraska Foster Parent Ban
Three same-sex couples yesterday challenged Nebraska’s ban on gay men and lesbians becoming foster parents. One of the couples — and the five children they adopted out of foster care in California, where they previously lived — were the subject of a documentary a few years ago. Read my interview with the filmmaker and see a trailer after the jump, and learn more about the dads who are clearly continuing to do good for their family and others.
Racial Justice and LGBT Parenting
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, the seminal civil rights rally and site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, organized in large part by Bayard Rustin, a gay Black man. The fight for racial justice is far from over in this country, even as the fight for LGBT equality picks up steam — and the two movements, while not identical, are nevertheless interwoven. Here are a few items of late that touch on the intersection of race and LGBT parenting.
New Zealand Moms First to Wed at 30,000 Feet
New Zealand welcomed marriage equality this week, and moms Lynley Bendall and Ally Wanikau were among the first to wed. They did so in style — at 30,000 feet on a special Air New Zealand flight, after winning a contest held by the airline. Watch a video of their wedding, along with the charming video of their kids that won them the contest in the first place.
More Lesbian and Gay Parents Struggling in Russia
I wrote yesterday about a journalist and lesbian mom in Russia who is leaving the country because she fears the new anti-gay laws that could take her children away from her. She’s not the only one. Here are more stories of gay and lesbian parents and their struggles under the new laws.
Lesbian Mom Fleeing Russia Over Fears of Losing Her Children
Russian American journalist and lesbian mom Masha Gessen is leaving her Russian home for the U.S., she told the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper. She fears the harsh new laws against “homosexual propaganda” put her family at risk, especially given her activism and visibility.
What Married and Unmarried Same-Sex Parents Should Know About Family Leave
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued new guidance that confirms married same-sex couples are now eligible for the same leave as married different-sex couples under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). That’s one of the very concrete Good Things to happen since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on DOMA — although I’d argue that all committed couples should be eligible, married or not. Unmarried same-sex parents should note, however, that they still have some rights under FMLA.
LGBT Parents Wanted for Study about Impact of Legal and Social Hurdles on Parenting
Two professors at the University of Oregon are conducting a new study about LGBT parents and how we “navigate legal and social hurdles” on behalf of our kids. They’re looking for LGBT parents to interview (anonymously) — I hope you’ll consider helping them out.
Would Skater’s Moms Be Arrested If They Attended Her Performance at Olympics?
On Friday, I mentioned Britney Simpson, one half of the 2013 U.S. Junior Pairs Champion figure skating team, who has two moms. I said it would be great to see both her and her skating partner’s parents in the audience if the pair makes the 2014 Winter Olympics—but forgot that the Games will be held in Russia. Russia’s increasingly harsh anti-gay laws cast Simpson’s moms’ attendance in a very different light.