Fifteen years ago today was the first legal wedding of a same-sex couple in the United States—moms Hillary and Julie Goodridge. Now they and their daughter Annie are sharing more about their fight to marry and the stress that it caused on their relationship—stress that caused them to divorce five years later. It’s a sobering tale about the price that progress can have on activists and their families.
Both Massachusetts and Illinois have recently taken steps towards including the history and achievements of LGBTQ people—and the authentic telling of their lives—in the states’ education curricula.
I’m very pleased to bring you a guest piece by Patience Crozier, an attorney with GLAD who was co-counsel in a key case about the rights of nonbiological moms. She not only discusses the case, but also shares some key points that unmarried same-sex parents or prospective parents should know about securing ties to their children.
Yes, even in Massachusetts, the first state to have marriage equality, same-sex parents have had to fight for their rights—not least because the benefits of marriage don’t cover unmarried parents. Today, however, saw a clear victory for one unmarried nonbiological mother and her children.
Allow me a moment of hometown pride. The Massachusetts Senate has just passed a transgender protections bill—and while it is not yet law, it is a breath of fresh air after the awful anti-trans bill passed in North Carolina.
Yesterday, Massachusetts’ highest court heard the case of a nonbiological mother fighting for legal parentage of the two children she planned and raised with a former partner.
Live in the Boston area? Visiting Boston? Want to take a road trip to Boston? Come join other LGBTQ families on Sunday, June 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. for an LGBTQ Families Celebration at the Residence Inn – Back Bay/Fenway!
I’m pleased to report that a day before the 10th anniversary of the ruling that brought marriage equality to Massachusetts, there are still no swarms of locusts, plagues, or other signs of heavenly disfavor. In fact, in 2004, the same year that marriage equality was enacted, the Red Sox won the World Series after an 86-year gap, breaking the infamous “Curse of the Bambino.” Just saying.
Looking for an LGBTQ-friendly place for your kids to spend time this summer, where they can not only have fun, but be themselves and talk openly about their families without fear of rude questions or harassment? Check out CampOUT, in beautiful western Massachusetts.
Today marks 10 years of marriage equality in Massachusetts and seven years of legality (on top of 13 years of illegality) for my spouse Helen and me.
