Children in Hawaii with LGBTQ parents now have access to more secure legal protections, after Hawaii Governor Josh Green (D) yesterday signed legislation updating the state’s parentage laws to be more inclusive of them and other children formed via assisted reproduction.
Rounding it up again with various tidbits I haven’t covered elsewhere—including one about a Nebraska judge concerned that letting two women adopt would turn the court into an “imagination station”!
A new picture book is based on the true story of Ho‘onani Kamai, an eleven-year-old Native Hawaiian who feels an identity in-between a boy and a girl. When Ho’onani’s school decides that the boys will perform a traditional hula chant, Ho’onani wants to join them, and must find physical and emotional strength to do so.
Could you use some good news today out of our courts? I sure could. The Supreme Court of Hawaii on Friday upheld a lower court ruling that said a nonbiological mother is a parent to the child she and her former spouse had through assisted reproduction.
I’m not sure what angers me more: the many child custody cases in which a biological mom tries to stop a nonbiological mom from seeing their children after a divorce or separation—or a case in which a nonbiological mom claims she’s not a mom so she doesn’t have to pay child support.
Not to be outdone by Illinois, Hawaii just moved closer to becoming the 16th state to pass a bill in favor of marriage equality. The Hawaii House approved a bill Friday night (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time) that now must now go back to the Senate for re-approval. Jumping on the I-state momentum, four same-sex couples in Idaho yesterday also sued for the right to marry.
I’m torn about the possibility that Hawaii could become the next state to enact marriage equality. Once same-sex couples can marry on a beach in Maui, why would they want to marry anyplace else? On the other hand, hearing the story of Maureen Kilian and Cindy Meneghin, two moms who were among the plaintiffs in the case that won marriage equality in New Jersey, I know I want marriage equality everywhere. Watch:
A few little things happened in LGBT-related politics this week, hmm? The Department of Justice announced that it has concluded that the part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) preventing the federal government from recognizing legal marriages of same-sex couples is unconstitutional. The DOJ will therefore not defend it in two pending cases in
The Pentagon has revealed its plan for implementing repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. New talks on comprehensive immigration reform legislation could mean a new chance to pass the Uniting American Families Act. A civil union bill in Hawaii could hit the governor’s desk by the end of next week, the Honolulu Star Advertiser opines.
What’s going on with the ban on openly gay servicemembers? Don’t ask. On Thursday, results from the upcoming Pentagon report on the impact of a repeal leaked to the Washington Post. The good news is that the ban could be repealed “with only minimal and isolated incidents of risk to the current war efforts.” Then
