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LGBT Parenting Roundup

February 17, 2012

A shortish roundup this week, but all kinds of good reads:

Same-sex parents who have biological or stepchildren tend to be economically disadvantaged compared to their opposite-sex counterparts, whereas same-sex parents who have adopted tend to be economically advantaged, says demographer Gary Gates of UCLA’s Williams Institute. Despite the common media view of same-sex parents as relatively wealthy (see Modern Family, The L Word, The Kids Are All Right, etc.), Gates says, “a complete picture of LGBT parents in the U.S. would show a community with substantial socioeconomic and racial/ethnic diversity.”

How Have Your Kids Responded to Questions About Their Family?

February 16, 2012

Most LGBT parents, I suspect, wonder what will happen the first (or the second, or the tenth…) time their children get asked questions about their family, such as, “How can you have two moms [two dads]?” I wrote about my own experience with this a few years back—and yesterday, Mom1 over at 2 Moms 2 Boys wrote about hers.

This was soon followed on my Twitter feed by Els Kushner noting her kids’ snappy response, “Well, why do you have a mom & a dad?” and MommieV saying, “Would love to see how single/choice moms handle similar.”

So have at, folks. I know many of you have similar stories and questions, and I hope you’ll share in the comments. (You can just leave a link to your blog if you’ve written about it before.)

Rainbow Bibliography Shows Children’s Books Across LGBTQ Spectrum

February 15, 2012

A new American Library Association (ALA) list of recommended LGBTQ-inclusive books for children and young adults shows that characters who are transgender, bisexual, and of ambiguous identity are taking their place solidly beside more traditional gay and lesbian ones.

Wisconsin high school librarian Lynn Evarts, who chairs the ALA committee that chooses the annual “Rainbow Bibliography,” said she is “very happy” that the fifth annual version of the list, announced January 22, is so diverse.

Son of Prop 8 Plaintiffs Talks About Marriage Ban Impact on His Family

February 14, 2012

Spencer Perry, the 17-year-old son of plaintiffs Kris Perry and Sandy Steir, lead plaintiffs in the Proposition 8 case to win marriage equality in California, talked at a press conference recently about the impact of Prop 8 on his family.

TV Alert: Rachel’s Gay Dads on Glee Tonight

February 14, 2012

The long-awaited gay dads of Glee character Rachel (Lea Michele) appear in tonight’s episode. Here’s a preview.

Matt Bomer Becomes Latest Celebrity Gay Dad

February 13, 2012

Actor Matt Bomer, the star of USA Network’s White Collar, officially came out as gay during a speech accepting the New Generation Arts and Activism Award from the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards. Bomer and his partner Simon Halls have three children. He thanked “my beautiful family” in his speech. (Thanks, Towleroad!)

New Site Allows Search for Health Care Plans that Include Same-Sex Partners

February 13, 2012

Need to find a health insurance plan that offers coverage for same-sex partners? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that the Health Plan Finder tool on HealthCare.gov now allows consumers to filter for plans that offer such coverage. Consumers can also compare the cost sharing and benefit choices of the plans.

As Kellan Baker of the Center for American Progress notes at the Health Insurance Resource Center, however, there is still room for improvement.

IKEA Gets to the Root of Family with Inclusive Carrot Toys

February 10, 2012

Yet another in my occasional but ongoing series on why I love IKEA. This adorable carrot family shows that what matters is love and happiness. The gender of the parents doesn’t matter–or can be imagined to be whatever the child wants them to be.

Same-Sex Parents Under Fire in Iowa, Despite Marriage

February 9, 2012

The state of Iowa has made two moves this week that challenge the rights of same-sex parents.

First, Governor Terry Branstad’s (R) administration announced it will appeal a state district court ruling that said a child born to a lesbian couple married in that state has the right to have the names of both her parents on her birth certificate.

Prop 8 Ruled Unconstitutional: One Step Closer to Equality

February 7, 2012

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has just ruled that Proposition 8, California’s ban on marriage of same-sex couples, is unconstitutional. The law “serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples.”