Over 31,000 children being raised by same-sex couples live in states that could soon have marriage equality, after the U.S. Supreme Court declined yesterday to hear any pending marriage equality cases.
Congratulations to all of the same-sex couples in Minnesota and Rhode Island who may choose to marry starting today. And on ABC Family’s The Fosters, fictional moms-of-five Stef and Lena are getting married on this coming Monday’s episode. I thought I’d mark the happy occasions by posting a revised version of a column I did several years ago, about planning a wedding if you already have kids.
I wrote this for my Mombian newspaper column the week before the Supreme Court ruled on DOMA and Prop 8. I think the sentiments still hold, and are a good way to close out what may have been the most exciting Pride Month ever.
As we all ride the waves of elation and joy from yesterday’s marriage equality victories, we lesbian moms can take extra pride in knowing that several of our own were among those leading the way. Prop 8 plaintiffs Kris Perry and Sandy Stier have four kids. And attorney Mary Bonauto, who has been called the “mastermind” of the DOMA repeal, has twins.
The U.S. Supreme Court has just ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional—in other words, that the federal government must recognize legally enacted marriages of same-sex couples. The Court also said those defending California’s Proposition 8 had no standing to do so—clearing the way for same-sex couples to marry in California.
Today’s the day. Really. No more waiting. At 10 a.m., the U.S. Supreme Court will announce its remaining decisions for the session, including ones in the two marriage equality cases under consideration.
It’s National Poetry Month, and in its honor, I’ve composed two haiku to the highest court in the land.
I’m posting a second roundup this week because of the many great parenting-related pieces after the marriage equality hearings at the U.S. Supreme Court. This should get you through the weekend!
Amid the wave of marriage equality news and posts this week, this one from Mediaite stood out for me for the way it cleverly shows the similarities between anti-gay and anti-miscegenation quotes. Here’s another scary quote on the same theme, related to children’s books.
At yesterday’s U. S. Supreme Court hearing on marriage equality, Justice Samuel Alito asked, “But you want us to step in and render a decision based on an assessment of the effects of this institution [same-sex marriage] which is newer than cell phones or the Internet? I mean we—we are not—we do not have the ability to see the future.” I have an answer for him.
