As we head into Pride Month, I am moved once again to ponder all that I am proud of. My son tops the list, as always—but I am also proud of how we LGBTQ families and our allies have been able to keep pushing towards equality, despite an unprecedented amount of anti-LGBTQ legislation and rhetoric right now.
Come have a read of some LGBTQ family stories, political news, entertainment, and even a few science tidbits that I haven’t covered separately!
The Washington Supreme Court ruled today that a lower court improperly looked unfavorably on a lesbian mom in a child custody case because of her sexual orientation.
In 2007, Janice Langbehn and her three children were denied access to her dying partner and the children’s other mother, Lisa Pond—a tragedy that helped motivate President Obama to revise hospital visitation rules to allow same-sex partners. She also lives in Washington State—and in a new blog post, “My Missteps,” reflects on the state’s new marriage equality law and her own path to activism.
What may surprise readers is her concern that she didn’t do enough soon enough for our community—striking words from the woman who in 2011 received the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor.
Congratulations to all of the same-sex couples in Washington State who will be able to get marriage licenses starting today. In several counties (including the most populous, King County), the first to do so will be lesbian moms.
Stories. Legos. Cartoons. Three things that Chad and Lisa Johnson say make their neighbors “a regular family,” no matter that the neighbors are two moms, Colleen Ozolitis and Lee Ann Martinson, and their five-year-old sons. Washington United for Marriage, the coalition working to defend the state’s marriage equality law, created an ad featuring the Johnsons that will run statewide on broadcast and cable.
What makes a family? Most of us know in our hearts. Thanks to the Pride Foundation for tweeting to remind us of this short but powerful video by lesbian mom Jen Finkle-Weaver that offers her perspective on the question.
Washington State residents John and Dorothy Reitan, who have two gay grandsons, speak up on behalf of marriage equality in this charming video. The Reitans should know a thing or two about marriage, having been married for 70 years. John Reitan is also a pastor and World War II Navy veteran.
Washington Governor Chris Gregoire (D) signed marriage equality into law February 13, 2012, but opponents are trying to prevent it from going into effect in June by forcing it to a referendum in November.
If more families felt like the Reitans, we wouldn’t need to worry.
Washington State Sen. Kevin Ranker (D-Orcas Island), not only endorsed Governor Chris Gregoire’s recent announcement that she would sponsor a marriage equality bill, but spoke from a very personal standpoint. Ranker has a gay dad. He released a statement, saying, in part: Marriage is more than just a collection of rights and protections—it is the commitment
Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), along with Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), introduced the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act in their respective houses. The Act would offer the same benefits to the same-sex domestic partners of federal employees as to opposite-sex married spouses. The U.S. Department of Health and
