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10 Things TO Say to Lesbian Moms

February 8, 2013

It may not quite be an Internet meme, but several writers in the past month have offered their thoughts on what not to say to lesbian moms. Judy Gold at HuffPo gives a personal story about “The Question You Should Never Ask a Lesbian Mom”; Jeanne Sager at The Stir lists “5 Things Never to Say to Lesbian Moms”; and L. A. Pintea at Parents.com relates “10 Things You Shouldn’t Ask a Lesbian Mom.” It’s enough to make people think they should never approach us. I’d like to turn things around here, and suggest several things you should say to lesbian moms.

Lesbian Moms Fight for Green Card to Keep Family Together

February 7, 2013

Becky is American. Sanne is Dutch. They met in India several years ago, fell in love, started their family, and married in the Netherlands. They lived there for some time, where Becky was fully recognized as Sanne’s spouse. They moved to the U.S., however, in order to be closer to Becky’s family in North Carolina, and decided that’s where home is for them. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), however, means they must live in fear that any day an immigration agent could show up at their door and remove Sanne. Becky says, “to some people it’s a vote, but to us, it’s our lives, and our family, and we’re not just a political issue or a platform.” Here is a video of their story.

An Immeasurable Loss

February 6, 2013

We in the LGBT parenting blogger community write often about bringing children into our families. We don’t often write about having them leave us. Timaree and Jodi, however, posted yesterday of the loss of their son, Caemon, who had been fighting a rare form of leukemia. My heart goes out to them.

LGBT Parenting Roundup

February 6, 2013

Personal stories, political moves, and celebrity news I haven’t covered elsewhere (or that bear repeating).

Did You Know? Same-Sex Parents Can Take FMLA Leave Even If Not Legal Parent

February 5, 2013

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), so it’s the perfect time to remind folks that FMLA allows people to take time off to care for a child (biological or adoptive) who is legally the child of a same-sex partner—that is, even if you are not on the child’s birth certificate or haven’t done a second-parent adoption. Here’s the story of two lesbian moms who used FMLA leave, despite having to be extra prepared to explain matters to their employer.

New Film About Homophobia in Jamaica Features Lesbian Mom

February 5, 2013

Jamaica has one of the worst records in the world on LGBT rights. Male same-sex relationships are punishable by up to 10 years in jail, and attitudes, harassment, and hate crimes are endemic across the LGBT spectrum. Filmmaker Micah Fink wants to tell the stories of two Jamaicans affected by homophobia, one of whom is a lesbian mom.

New Disney World President Is Gay; When Will We See LGBT Disney Characters?

February 4, 2013

George Kalogridis started as a busboy at Walt Disney World and will now become the theme park’s fifth president, South Florida Gay News reports. Oh, and he’s openly gay. What will this mean for the park and for the prospect of greater representation of LGBT families within the Disney empire?

Wanted: Your Family and Medical Leave Stories

February 1, 2013

Twenty years ago, on February 5, 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act, allowing eligible employees to take time off to care for new children (biological or adopted) or family members with medical problems. The FMLA even allows employees to take time for a new child even if you are not the legal parent—but does not cover same-sex spouses or partners. The Family Equality Council is therefore collecting stories, good and bad, about how LGBT people have used—or been denied—FMLA. They want yours! Here’s how to submit your story.

Lesbian Mom Named Fort Bragg “Military Spouse of the Year”

January 31, 2013

I wrote in December about Ashley Broadway, the legally wed spouse of Army Lieutenant Colonel Heather Mack, who was told by the Officers’ Spouse Club (OSC) at Fort Bragg in North Carolina that she did not qualify to be a member. After pressure from the American Military Partner Association and OutServe-SLDN, however, the club (a private organization affiliated with the base) changed its mind and offered her full membership last Friday—just hours after she was named the Fort Bragg “Military Spouse of the Year” in a contest run by Military Spouse magazine.

We’re All In This Together

January 30, 2013

I was thrilled to see that the same book won the American Library Association’s top honors Monday for both the LGBT- and Latino-related children’s book awards, proving that one book can address multiple aspects of identity (and countering the prevalent media impression that the LGBT community is predominantly White). It just so happens, too, that the intersecting of identities is a major theme in LGBT politics this week.