The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that a nongenetic, nongestational lesbian mother is a legal parent to the child she and her former spouse had planned for and conceived through assisted reproduction—and it asserts the principle of intent-based parentage, a big win for LGBTQ and other families formed via assisted reproduction.
For Darra Gordon, her new role as CEO of Family Equality is “more of a calling than a choice.” She and her wife Nicole are raising three children, one of whom identifies as nonbinary. The work of Family Equality, the national organization for LGBTQ families, is therefore “incredibly, deeply personal to me,” she said in an interview.
The election of Donald Trump to a second term as president feels like a body blow. The danger of his policies to LGBTQ and other marginalized people is real. Nevertheless, there are actions LGBTQ parents can take now to protect and support our families—and there are a few things that are giving me hope.
In the wake of the election, I have seen a flood of questions online from LGBTQ parents about how to ensure that their child-parent relationships will be legally secure and recognized in every state. A guide that GLAD Law and I created answers frequently asked questions about exactly that.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) has signed legislation updating the state’s parentage laws to be more equitable for LGBTQ parents and their children, families formed via assisted reproduction, and those with de facto or functional parents. “It’s a great, great day as we celebrate full parental equality,” she said at the signing ceremony Monday.
Terrific news from Massachusetts today! Just before 3 a.m. this morning, the legislature enacted the Massachusetts Parentage Act, updating state parentage laws to better protect the children of LGBTQ parents, those formed via assisted reproduction, and those with de facto or functional parents.
The Massachusetts House unanimously passed critical legislation yesterday that would update the state’s parentage laws to better protect the children of LGBTQ parents and others regardless of the circumstances of their birth. Representatives spoke of how current laws shockingly fall short and urged passage of the bill for both personal and societal reasons.
All children gain security and benefits from legal ties to their parents. Yet children with LGBTQ parents, and those born through assisted reproduction, lack clear and simple ways to establish legal parentage in many states. Two key advocates in Michigan’s successful recent effort to make parentage laws more equitable and inclusive shared advice with me that they hope will help other states do the same.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has signed legislation updating the state’s parentage laws to reflect the many ways families are formed today and equally protect all of the children in them, including those with LGBTQ parents. At least three other states have similar legislation pending—though many others lag behind.
A North Carolina Appeals Court has ruled that a nonbiological mother, despite sharing custody of the child she and her former partner had via IVF, does not owe child support because she is not a legal parent and did not agree in writing to provide support.
