Thanks to HRC for this hot-off-the-presses news: The federal Pension Protection Act signed into law today by President Bush includes two provisions extending important financial protections to same-sex couples as well as other Americans. HRC explains: The first provision, called “Non-Spousal Rollover”: Allows the transfer of an individual’s retirement plan benefits, like a 401(k), to
The Vermont Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Vermont courts, not Virginia ones, have sole jurisdiction in a custody battle between two women. The women were residents of Virginia, traveled to Vermont for a civil union, and returned to Virginia, where one gave birth to their child. They then returned to Vermont. A year later, they
San Francisco Catholic Charities (SFCC) has followed an earlier move by Boston Catholic Charities and shut down their adoption services, so they don’t have to place children with lesbian and gay couples. Unlike their East Coast counterparts, however, they will partner with another agency, California Kids Connection, to which they will refer prospective adoptive parents,
Like most observers of a war that doesn’t directly involve them, I thought I was safe. The “Mommy Wars” pitting employed mothers against stay-at-homes, accusing the latter of betraying feminism, didn’t seem to apply to me. While I was indeed a stay-at-home mom, I thought that by doing so as a lesbian I was transforming
This week’s headliner was the unfortunate Washington marriage ruling, about which I wrote earlier. It’s on to the legislature for our friends in the West. In other news: In politically relevant religious news, the Episcopalian Bishop of Arkansas has endorsed “blessing ceremonies” for same-sex couples. He notes that no formal rites exist for such ceremonies,
The Human Rights Campaign launched a redesigned Web site this week, going for a cleaner, bolder look, with news items front and center. It’s more, well, blog-like. Truth be told, I kind of miss the organization by issue—work, family, community, coming out—that they used to have. These topics are still there, in a “Hot Issues”
Well, they’ve done it again. Just like the New York Court of Appeals, the Washington state Supreme Court upheld the state’s same-sex marriage ban, citing “the State’s legitimate interests in procreation and the well-being of children.” News flash: We’re here, we’re queer, and many of us are procreating. In some cases, we’re raising children other
Tomorrow, the Washington state Supreme Court will announce its decision in Andersen v. King County, a consolidated case regarding Washington’s Defense of Marriage Act. (Thanks to Pam’s House Blend for the heads up.) Equal Rights Washington has information on events and gatherings around the state, which they will keep updated. As lesbian moms, we’re used
In the U. K., the National Union of Teachers (NUT) says teachers should challenge gender stereotyping and intolerant language as early as preschool. Pinknews.co.uk quotes the NUT’s report: Research shows that children as young as five begin to display disapproval of peers’ role-inconsistent behaviours and are self-critical when judging how they would feel if they
The U. S. House of Representatives defeated a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The Senate had earlier done the same, making the House vote purely political. Indeed, Republicans are already promising to use Democrats’ opposition to the amendment as fodder for this fall’s congressional elections. By a slim margin, Patricia Todd (D) appears to
