Politics and Law

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.

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.

Lego wedding

An Epic Win for Marriage — and a Caution for Same-Sex Parents

My 10-year-old son throws around the word “epic” on a daily basis. His newest Pokémon card? Epic. His latest zombie-defeating battle in Minecraft, his favorite online game? Epic. The word seemed in danger of losing its original clout—and then the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). That, I told him, was epic.

Moms Fighting for ENDA

Marriage equality isn’t the only area where moms have been in the news this week pushing for LGBT equality. Two Ohio mothers with LGBT children are leading a campaign asking parents and relatives of LGBT people to encourage their senators to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

Lesbian Moms Again in Forefront in New Round of Marriage Cases

The past couple of weeks have seen a new round of progress in several marriage-equality lawsuits—and just as with the cases that brought down the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8, lesbian moms are again in the forefront, along with a number of gay dads. Two of the cases (in Michigan and North Carolina) even began as challenges to state bans on second-parent adoptions, and later evolved into marriage-ban challenges as well.

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