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.
This roundup looks at further negative impacts of recent executive orders, but also at another lawsuit against them, the introduction of positive legislation in two states, and some celebrity moments of queer joy.
Catch up on some news about LGBTQ families that I haven’t posted about separately! There’s political news, to be sure, but also some celebrity tidbits to keep things light.
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.
Catch up on some stories I haven’t posted about already! There are moves to make parentage more secure for children of LGBTQ parents in Ireland and Massachusetts; an ongoing custody case; two queer moms who could become federal judges, and more!
Parents with identities across the LGBTQ spectrum won elections this week in state legislatures, city governments, school boards, and more, even in states where you might not expect it!
Marriage equality has helped LGBTQ parents and our children in many ways—but should we have to marry? A decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will now make it much more difficult for both same- and different-sex couples to obtain co-parent (sometimes called second-parent) adoptions unless they are married.
A Pennsylvania court has denied a nonbiological mother parental rights to the child she and her former spouse, the biological mother, had planned and created together. It is the second recent case in the U.S. to do so.
Many queer parents and allies turned out at a Rhode Island House hearing last week to testify in support of two bills that would make it easier for parents of any gender, married or not, to establish legal parentage of a child born through assisted reproduction and to streamline the process of second-parent adoptions.
