The Status of LGBT Rights Bills in Congress

The Washington Blade has done an extensive report, interviewing Rep. Barney Frank and more, on the status of several different LGBT rights bills making their way through Congress and when they may actually hit the chambers' floors for voting.

DON'T ASK DON'T TELL

The effort to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will likely come next year as an amendment to the Defense Department spending bill, rather than through a standalone bill, according to gay Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

Frank said in an interview with the Blade that repealing the 1993 law barring gays from serving openly in the military would happen as part of the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill.

“The House will take up and the Senate will take up ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal,” he said. “That will again, like hate crimes, even more so, will have to be done, I believe, in the context of the defense authorization. You can’t do the standalone bill. It belongs in the defense authorization.”

Currently, Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) sponsors the standalone version of legislation in the House, but there is no equivalent for the Senate.

David Stacy, HRC’s senior public policy advocate, noted that Congress enacted “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 1993 as part of a defense authorization bill, so repealing the law via the same vehicle would mirror the process.

So look for Congress to take on DADT in the summer of 2010.


EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT

"Action on other pro-LGBT legislation seems more imminent," reports the Blade. "Frank said Congress could advance the Employment Non-Discrimination Act . . . in the near future."

Frank, sponsor the the House version of ENDA, says the bill is in good shaped and headed to the House Education & Labor Committee would mark up ENDA before year’s end and then will hit the floor for a vote in February and then to Senate voting in Spring.

Allison Herwitt, legislative director for the Human Rights Campaign, is more optimistic and believes it could all happen before the end of the year.

Frank has concerns though on obtaining the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster for ENDA and DADT.


DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS & OBLIGATIONS ACT

This bill would provide partner benefits to LGBT federal employees.

“That one I’m the most confident is going to become law because I think you have Senate support for it — enough to get to the 60” votes needed to overcome a filibuster, Frank said.

Lieberman is sponsor of the Senate version of the legislation while Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the only out lesbian in Congress, is sponsoring the House version of the bill. Baldwin was recently quoted in The Hill as saying she “absolutely” believes there are enough votes to pass the bill in the House.

Herwitt believes this bill can be taken up along with ENDA.

“The critical question is, given the Republicans getting worse and worse on LGBT issues, whether we’ll get any Republicans voting,” Frank said. “I assume we would have safe senators — [Sen. Olympia] Snowe and [Sen. Susan] Collins, maybe [Sen. George] Voinovich or one or two others — but that’s the key.”


UNITING AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT/IMMIGRATION REFORM

This standalone bill, if passed, would allow LGBT citizens to sponsor a foreign partner for residency.

Immigration advocates hope provisions can be added as part of comprehensive immigration reform that are equal to UAFA.

Steve Ralls, spokesperson for Immigration Equality, said his organization is pushing for inclusion of the provision in immigration reform legislation that Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are expected to introduce later this year.

“They are still operating on a timeline of introduction around the end of the year,” Ralls said. “All indications that we have so far is that it’s probably late December, early January in terms of introduction of an actual bill.”

RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT

The full-DOMA repeal, which has 104 sponsors, was introduced by Rep. Jerrold, Nadler. There is no Senate equivalent, though Sen. Russ Feingold has been approached. No hearings or markups have been scheduled.

“I think there’s three or four gay rights bills that are cued up,” said John Doty, a Nadler spokesperson. “The Respect for Marriage Act is a little bit further down that list. It hasn’t been talked about as long or debated as long … as the other bills.”

Frank is not a co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act and said he’s not optimistic about the bill’s chances because “marriage is the toughest of these issues.”

“That’s why I do not see any chance of any success on marriage in the Congress this year,” he said. “Neither does anyone else, by the way, no matter what people pretend to make people feel better. But that’s why we’re focusing on these other issues.”

EVERY CHILD DESERVES A FAMILY ACT/ADOPTION BILL

This bill, introduced by Rep. Pete Stark, would restrict federal funding to states that have adoption restrictions, including those that bar same-sex couples from adopting. Frank intends to sign on as co-sponsor, but right now the bill has none.

Frank's optimistic, but - “Even people from certain states who don’t agree with that policy will be reluctant to vote to deny money to their states. Plus, you have Republican opposition in general. Remember, the Republicans are now almost monolithically against us.”

“I think this bill needs to be seen and viewed positively, most importantly, by the child welfare professionals and have the support of the leading child welfare and children’s rights organizations,” Herwitt said.

Rep. Pete Stark Introduces Bill Penalizing States With Gay Adoption Restrictions

U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D-California) introduced the Every Child Deserves a Family Act on Thursday which would restrict federal funding for states with adoption or foster care laws that discriminate on the basis of marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Rep. Stark in his introduction to the bill:

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that will open up thousands of good homes to foster children. On any given day, there are approximately 500,000 children in the child welfare system. Over 125,000 of these abused and neglected children are waiting to be adopted. There is an acute shortage, however, of adoptive and foster parents. The result is that many children, particularly minority and special needs children, languish in foster care without permanent homes. The severe developmental, emotional, and educational costs to children raised in foster care are well documented. The 25,000 youth who never find a permanent family and “age out” of the system each year are more likely than nearly any other group to become homeless, incarcerated, or suffer with mental illness or substance abuse.

Despite the shortage of adoptive and foster parents and the terrible consequences of long stays in the child welfare system, some states have enacted discriminatory bans prohibiting children from being placed with qualified parents due to the parent’s marital status or sexual orientation. Currently, over 65,000 adopted children and 14,000 foster children are living with a gay or lesbian parent. Studies suggest that upward of 2 million gay and lesbian individuals are interested in adopting or fostering a child. Yet, statewide discriminatory bans and the practices of individual adoption agencies have resulted in fewer children being placed in safe and permanent homes.

Congress invests over $8 billion in the child welfare system each year and we should not accept policies that use Federal funds to enact barriers to adoption and close the door to thousands of potential homes. Multiple studies have found that adopted and foster children raised by gay and lesbian parents fare just as well as their peers being raised by heterosexual parents.

When considering a potential placement for a child, the only criteria should be what is in the child’s best interest and whether the prospective parents can provide a safe and nurturing home. Bigotry should play no part in this decision. That is why I am introducing the “Every Child Deserves a Family Act.” This legislation would simply prohibit any entity that receives Federal child welfare funds from denying or delaying adoption or foster care placements based solely on the prospective parent’s marital status or sexual orientation. States and child welfare agencies that fail to end discriminatory practices would face financial penalties. This is the same approach that put an end to race discrimination in adoption and foster care placements.

States with adoption restrictions that would be affected if this legislation becomes law are Utah, Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska and Mississippi, reports the Washington Blade. Other states that have considered restrictions include Tennessee and Kentucky.

The legislation, Stark told the Washington Blade, would restrict funds from states that have discriminatory adoption bans or restrictions by agencies, individual socials workers or judges. If states don't comply, federal officials could withhold funds provided to them for child welfare services. Follow-up would be done by the Government Accountability Office within five years of enactment.

Currently, no co-sponsors have stepped up to show support, but Drew Hammill, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's spokesperson, said "Denying a child a loving home solely on the basis of a couple's sexual orientation is wrong and ultimately harms the child. With that in mind, we are encouraged that Rep. Stark is taking up the issue and will be monitoring the legislation's progress."

"I'd like to counter early on the arguments that will come up — sexual orientation will train the children to assume a gay lifestyle, and you know the claptrap that I'll get," Rep. Stark said. "But I think if we can have the hearings in a rather calm approach, we could put those issues to rest."

Rep. Stark hopes to find a Republican co-sponsor, then work on getting Senate companion legislation introduced.

ACTION: Queers United has given a call to action.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nations largest LGBT advocacy organization has announced that while they are supportive of the bill "they will not lobby for the bill until and if it gains traction in congress"

HRC should be behind all LGBT bills (popular or not) if we can't count on the largest LGBT rights organization to lobby for this change, how can we expect this change to gain traction?

Demand HRC actively lobby for the Every Child Deserves a Family Act.

Contact your congressperson and kindly request they support and co-sponsor this legislation.

Catholic League's Bill Donohue Says Church Has Homosexual Problem, Not Pedophile

This diatribe from Bill Donohue of the Catholic League on the 700 Club, making an appearance to pitch his new book, made my stomach turn.

First he rants about the fact that some Catholic adoption agencies chose to give up government funding rather than to place children with gay and lesbian couples.

"We're not going to allow gay people to adopt children," he rails. "That's against nature. It's against nature's God! But they won't stop!"

Being a gay male myself who wants nothing more than to have a family with the man I love, hearing this makes my ears bleed. But I respect the Catholic Church's opinion and believe they have every right to deny me their services due to their beliefs, as long as they're not accepting government money (gritting my teeth as I say this). But to go on the attack against me is simply hypocritical.

But it gets worse. Donohue goes back to the ol' tried and true slander of equating homosexuals with pedophiles by denying the Catholic Church even has had a pedophile problem.

"They lie about the Catholic Church. They say, 'Oh, we have a pedophile problem.' It's been a homosexual problem all along."

Sure, OK, older priests abusing their power by having inappropriate relationships with underage altar boys is equal to two adults in a consensual, loving relationship. What? And we're the ones against nature?

But then he goes on to say that most of the priests were homosexuals who were predators aiming at POST-pubescent boys. As if again, that makes a difference and that most gays and lesbians would think that type of relationship is OK.

Who in their right mind would condone this? The implication that the LGBT population is somehow at fault for the Catholic Church's inability to handle a problem within their own ranks is deplorable.

Yet I remind myself, Donohue is not the church. He's just a guy peddling a book.

MUST SEE VIDEO: Bill Clinton Tells Anderson Cooper He Supports Marriage Equality

Last night on AC360 with Anderson Cooper, former president Bill Clinton firmly states that he was wrong about "gay marriage" and that he now firmly supports it. As marriage has always been a state issue, he believe that it is up to the states to decide how they should act.



Transcript via Towleroad:

AC: You said you recently changed your mind on same-sex marriage. I’m wondering what you mean by that. Do you now believe that gay people should have full rights to civil marriage nationwide?

CLINTON: I do. I think that, well let me get back to the last point, the last word. I believe historically, for two hundred and something years, marriage has been a question left to the states and the religious institutions. I still think that’s where it belongs.

CLINTON: That is, I was against the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage nationwide, and I still think that the American people should be able to play this side in debates.

CLINTON: But me, Bill Clinton personally, I changed my position. I am no longer opposed to that. I think if people want to make commitments that last a lifetime, they ought to be able to do it. I have long favored the right of gay couples to adopt children.

AC: What made you change your mind? Was there one thing?

CLINTON: I think, what made me change my mind, I looked up and said look at all of this stuff you’re for. I’ve always believed that—I’ve never supported all the moves of a few years ago to ban gay couples from adoption. Because they’re all these kids out there looking for a home. And the standard on all adoption cases is, what is the best interest of the child?

CLINTON: And there are plenty of cases where the best interest of the child is to let the gay couple take them and give them a loving home. So I said, you know, I realized that I was over 60 years old, I grew up at a different time, and I was hung up about the word.

CLINTON: I had all these gay friends, I had all these gay couple friends, and I was hung up about it. And I decided I was wrong.

CLINTON: That our society has an interest in coherence and strength and commitment and mutually reinforcing loyalties, then if gay couples want to call their union marriage and a state agrees, and several have now, or a religious body will sanction it, and I don’t think a state should be able to stop a religious body from saying it, I don’t think the rest of us should get in the way of it.

CLINTON: I think it’s a good thing not a bad thing. And I just realized that, I was, probably for, maybe just because of my age and the way I’ve grown up, I was wrong about that. I just had too many gay friends. I saw their relationships. I just decided I couldn’t, I had an untenable position.

Read Michael Jones' article at Change.org, "The Five Things Bill Clinton Should Do to Take a Firm Stand on Gay Marriage."

Florida State Attorney Cites Unstable Relationships and Mental Illness As Justifications For Gay Adoption Ban

State attorney Timothy D. Osterhaus argued in Florida's appeals court Wednesday in defense of the state's 32-year old gay adoption ban.

"There is evidence that homosexuals have higher rates of mental disorders, suicide and domestic violence," he argued. "This is a plausible rationale."

"We should focus on what is best for kids, not on what we can get by with," he added.

After lower court Judge Cindy S. Lederman ruled that there was "no rational basis" for the ban, the state appealed, giving them the burden of proving that there in fact is a basis to keep gays and lesbians from adopting.

The case originated with Frank Martin Gill who aims to adopt two young brothers whom he and his partner have fostered for four years.

Arguments were made in a packed courtroom before a three-judge panel. Osterhaus cited statistics of gay domestic violence and suicide rates that he said gave rational basis, despite what Judge Lederman rule, concluding that broad exclusion of gay and lesbians from adopting was justified.

ACLU attorney Leslie Cooper disputed the statistics, and Judge Gerald B. Cope Jr. questioned the state's rationale.

Cope noted that lawmakers chose not to forbid drug addicts, child molesters or even murderers from adopting, but explicitly banned only gay people. "This is the only absolute disqualifier, as far as I can tell," Cope said. "How can that be justified?"

One of the state's two experts acknowledged that decisions over fitness should be made on a case-by-case basis. The other expert acknowledged he based his opposition to gay adoption largely on religious grounds.

"These kids are thoroughly bonded with us," Gill said of the two brothers. "I really love my kids. I want to be their parent. I want to adopt them."

"I would be absolutely devastated if they were taken from me, but it would be worse for the children," he added.

The case is expected to reach the Florida supreme court.

North Carolina Court Upholds Second Parent Adoption, Setting Precedent for Same-Sex Parents

North Carolina's only out state Senator, Julia Boseman, had the adoption of her daughter upheld yesterday by the state's Court of appeals. Her daughter's biological mother, and Boseman's ex, Melissa Jarrell, tried to have her parental rights voided.

After four years together, Boseman and Jarrell decided to have a child, and Jarrell gave birth in 2002 to their daughter through insemination. The couple filed for second-parent adoption which was granted three years later. Common use of adoption statues usually terminates the biological mother's rights, but the court ruled it had the power to waive this, granting both mothers full parental rights.

The following year, the couple broke up. After Jarrell began limiting her access to her daughter, Boseman filed for joint custody. Jarrell objected saying Boseman's adoption should be void because, though North Carolina doesn't say gays and lesbians couldn't adopt, it doesn't say they can.

A three-judge panel of the court disagreed in their decision.

"While [state law] does not specifically address same-sex adoptions, these statutes do make clear that a wide range of adoptions are contemplated and permitted, so long as they protect the minor’s 'needs, interests, and rights,'" Judge Wanda Bryant wrote in the opinion.

The News & Observer reports, "State law governing adoption does not specifically mention adoption by same-sex couples. Jim Lea, a domestic law specialist in Wilmington and one of Boseman's attorneys said that such adoptions have already been occurring. But the court opinion affirms the right of gay and lesbian couples to adopt."

"'Now I think it's very clear that if a couple chooses to go out and adopt the child and execute the necessary waivers, that homosexual couples can adopt children,' Lea said. 'To say that a couple should not be able to adopt a child because they're gay, on that reason alone is just plain wrong.'"

This is the second bit of good news this week coming from North Carolina. Just this past Monday, the city council of Durham passed a non-binding resolution in support of marriage equality.

Gov. Charlie Crist "Will Think" About Gay Adoption in Florida

Crossposted with Queers United.

Launching a tour to promote "Explore Adoption Day" in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist is now signaling he may be open to allowing gays the right to adopt. Currently Florida and Arkansas are the only two states that expressly forbid gay couples from adopting, while other states do create unnecessary hurdles for couples seeking to adopt.

"Now a candidate for U.S. Senate, Crist hinted today that he might support lifting the ban. At first, Crist said it would be the Legislature's responsibility to change the law. When pressed on whether he would support the effort, Crist said, "I'd have to think about it." (Tallahassee).

The ACLU and advocates of ending the adoption ban are receiving this as positive news by a governor who up until now said he opposes gay adoption and supports the existing ban.

Please urge the governor to support repealing the adoption ban, let him know that the science is in and children of gay couples do just as well as those raised by heterosexuals, and some reports indicate that they may be more open minded to diversity.

Office of Governor Charlie Crist
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
Executive Office of the Governor Switchboard: (850) 488-7146

Gay Male Penguins Adopt Chick Rejected by Straight Parents

I don't ever want to hear the anti-gays argue that we're not found in nature EVER AGAIN - as if we're not a part of nature. (Though they've been proven wrong over and over and over again and they still keep saying, "It's not natural" over and over and over again . . . )

Gay Adoption Wins in Florida Court, Enforcing Recognition of Adoptions in Other States

The Florida Court of Appeals unanimously overturned a lower court's ruling stating that in fact Florida is obligated to recognize adoptions granted to same-sex couples by other states.

Basing its decision on the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the federal constitution, Lara Embry, the plaintiff in the case, “must be given the same rights as any other adoptive parent in Florida.”

Noting that “there are no public policy exceptions to the full faith and credit which is due to judgments entered in another state,” the court concluded that “regardless of whether the trial court believed that the Washington adoption violated a clearly established public policy in Florida, it was improper for the trial court to refuse to give the Washington judgment full faith and credit.”

A concurring opinion further noted that Embry’s “same-sex relationship with [the other parent] is irrelevant for the purpose of enforcing her rights and obligations as an adoptive parent.”

Embry, who had separated from her partner, had one biological child and adopted her partner's birth child, and vice versa. When they split, Ryan wanted to end all contact with Embry and separate the bonded siblings.

This is a big step for Florida. Currently, the laws in Florida ban same-sex couples from adopting within its borders, but these laws are currently being challenged. This ruling, declaring that the state must uphold gay adoptions from other states, is a strong message to the judges who will be considering the ban challenges in their courts.

As it has been stated numerous times on this site and others, the right-wing is beginning to attack the LGBT right to adopt, which many are saying is the next major battle for the LGBT population. The anti-LGBT won't stop until our families are destroyed.

And families DO matter. Read this amazing post on Bilerico Project titled "Family Matters", a moving story of a gay man's close family who don't share a drop of biological blood between them. And in the end, it doesn't matter because we choose our families.

But you know what they say. Two steps forward, one step back. Louisiana Moves to Limit Gay Adoptions.

Wal-Mart CEO Signs Petition Banning Gay Adoption

Crossposted with Queers United:

Mike Duke the CEO of Wal-Mart, the world's largest grocery retailer is in some hot water for his personal political actions in the state of Arkansas.

Over the weekend, the website knowthyneighbor.org revealed that Mike Duke signed a petition to put an anti-gay adoption ban on the ballot in Arkansas. (Mike Duke’s signature below was pulled off the actual PDF provided by the Secretary of State) (Wal-Mart Watch).

This is a further slap in the face to activists who have been demanding that Wal-Mart support its GLBT employees. But with leadership like this, it's hard to believe progress will be made.

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Unite the Fight (UTF) reports primarily on marriage as stated in its mission statement. However, I believe a family can be defined in a variety of ways, from two individuals in a marriage, a single-parent home to a two-parent household, to name just a few. I feel family is an extension of marriage, and UTF will continue to report on the fight for LGBT adoption rights, which the conservative right-wing is beginning to strip away.

"Maine Gay Marriage Law Good For Children"

As earlier reported by Unite the Fight, the New England state of Maine is currently considering a same-sex marriage bill that looks promising. But as always, mounting opposition looms.

Both sides of the debate is heating up, but an amazing amount of support has recently arrived from groups representing social workers, psychologists and children's interests who have spoken out in favor of the same-sex marriage bill.

Reports from all over the place have been coming in due to this turn of events, but luckily, a contributor to Pam's House Blend has presented them here in one easy place.

It's a long read, but definitely worth the time.

Though Unite the Fight focuses on same-sex marriage, the right for gays to adopt is another big issue that's reported here. Many speculate this is the next big battle since having children in many cases is an extension of marriage. Numerous states have bills in consideration to ban gay adoption, most of them already having amendments banning same-sex marriage. Consider Arkansas. They already succeeded in banning unmarried individuals from adoption, a cover for the true intent - to keep gays from adopting.

It wasn't enough that they took away the right for gays to marry - now they're going after the children. So much for their hypocritical stance on being "pro-family."

I mention this because in Maine, it's very encouraging to hear when Dr. David Lilly of the Maine Psychological Association says the development, adjustment and well-being of children does not differ markedly whether their parents are gay or straight.

Even more:

Dr. Daniel Summers, an Augusta pediatrician who spoke on behalf of the Maine Chapter of the American Pediatric Association, which has 200 members, said he sees all kinds of families in his practice.

"No two are exactly alike," he said. "The adults in the family are united by a common desire to do the best they can for their children."

Catherine Stakeman, executive director of the Maine chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, said that passing Damon's bill "will benefit children and will provide them with the same protections currently available to other families."

Of course people of the same profession have other opinions, but it's very curious to know that these people are sponsored by the before-mentioned "pro-family" organizations.

Marriage is the battlefield right now. But what are we really fighting for? Family. Whether or not we decide to have children, being married is creating a family. It can be two individuals. And in the right circumstances, that family can grow with children.

We must be prepared. We may win the marriage battle, but then we must win the war for our children.

UPDATE: ACLU Files Suit Against Arkansas Adoption Ban

UPDATE: An Arkansas Judge has ruled that the lawsuit challenging the state's ban on unmarried couples adopting can proceed, ruling in favor of the ACLU and against Arkansas Deputy Attorney General Justin Allen.

The attorney general said that no one had the intrinsic right to adopt, and as a result, the lawsuit didn't deal with said rights and shouldn't proceed because nothing could be challenged on constitutional grounds.

The ACLU countered that it did because the ban violated federal and state state constitutional rights to equal protection and due process.
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Over a dozen families, along with the Arkansas chapter of the ACLU, have filed suit on Tuesday against the state's law banning unmarried couples from fostering or adopting children.

According to Little Rock attorney, Marie-Bernarde Miller, "Act 1 violates the state's legal duty to place the best interest of children above all else." Claiming the act's language was confusing and that voter's were misled, 29 adults and their children signed on to sue.

The supporters of the ban, the Arkansas Family Council, admitted that the ban was targeted toward gay couples, but acknowledged it would affect straight people as well.

For my information on the law suit, Cole, et al. v. Arkansas, et al, go to ACLU Parenting.

The ACLU is asking anyone in Arkansas worried that they will be hurt by Act 1 to email arkansasfamilies@aclu.org or call (212) 519-7835.

MY THOUGHTS: What a shock that the Arkansas Family Council would be willing to strip away SOME straight people's rights in an effort to strip away ALL gay people's rights. These people are beyond obsessive - they're delusional to think that this is right in order to stop a few people they don't agree with from acting on their right to start a family. It sickens me. It's beyond my rational ability to understand those who voted for this - in a sense, they stripped away their own rights to keep others from being happy. If you want to rant, please add a comment and go for it.

UPDATE 3/12/09: URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Adoption Battle in Kentucky

UPDATE 3/12/09: GREAT NEWS! This horrible bill has died, for it was unable to make the Senate vote agenda.

This discriminatory measure stated that anyone “cohabitating with a sexual partner outside of marriage” cannot be considered as a foster or adoptive parents.

However, our work is not done.

A similar bill has been seen in Tennessee and three states -- Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas -- currently have laws that outlaw adoption by unmarried couples.

Republican Sen. Gary Tapp of Shelbyville said he plans to file the bill again next year. See his contact info below and go ahead and tell him not to bother. He'll be met by us every step of the way.
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UPDATE: Unfortunately, this horrible bill passed a key committee and now advances to the Senate floor for a vote. Please contact Sen. Tapp (info below) and let him know how strongly you disagree with this discriminatory measure. Reach out to Fairness Campaign and see what you can do to help the inequality spreading in the blue grass state.

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From Lez Get Real:

"A proposed Kentucky law that would not only prevent gay and lesbian couples wanting to adopt or become foster parents from doing so, but also unmarried heterosexual couples as well, drew protesters to the Kentucky State Capitol of Frankfort yesterday… and more than 100 people attended the “Kentuckians Value Fairness” rally in the Capitol Rotunda Wednesday afternoon.

"The way the current legislation is written, Senate Bill 68, sponsored by Shelby County Republican Gary Tapp, would prevent would prevent unmarried couples from adopting or fostering children in the State of Kentucky. Similar legislation is already in force in six other states — Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska and Utah - all have laws directed at preventing nontraditional couples from adopting.

"The laws in Florida and Arkansas are both currently being challenged in the courts.

"Tapp says the intent of the bill is to assure that children are place in “stable environments” in both adoptive and foster homes.

"The Family Foundation of Kentucky is for also the bill."

URGENT ACTION: The protests against the bill at the Capitol was organized by the Fairness Campaign, and they are in urgent need of action support. They're requesting everyone to contact Shelby County Republican Gary Tapp and to voice their disapproval of this legislature.

CONTACT INFO
Phone Number(s)
Home: (502) 633-2304
Annex: (502) 564-8100 Ext. 648

Email: Gary.Tapp@lrc.ky.gov

UPDATE 2/25/09: The Banning of Gay Adoption: It's Not Just About Marriage - The Conservatives are Two Steps Ahead

UPDATE 2/25/09: The Tennessee bill that would ban unmarried couples from adopting (see story below) has now been submitted to the state's general assembly.

UPDATE: A new bill is being drafted and submitted to the Tennessee legislature that would ban same-sex couples from adopting. Sen. Paul Stanley filed the bill, and to disguise the blatant discrimination inherent in its purpose, the bill would also ban opposite-sex couples, who are not married, from adopting as well.

Great way of putting the child first.

This will be the third attempt to ban same-sex adoptions in Tennessee, and though it sounds futile to try a third time, same-sex marriage was banned with 80% of a populace vote, and this time around, the GOP holds the majority in both houses of legislation.

Contact Sen. Stanley and let him know of your disapproval.

Phone: (615) 741-3036
Email: sen.stanley@paulstanley.org
Facebook: Public Page

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I'm hearing whispered concerns throughout the community that the fight for same-sex marriage is losing steam as less and less rallies and protests are organized, and those that do occur, get little or no press. I share the concerns, but I'm also aware that many town halls are being planned. I'd like to think that this "lull" is the community regrouping and planning for ACTION, real steps to spur the movement forward, instead of just angrily marching down streets.

In the meantime, I keep scouring news sites for any news stories, editorials and media, and I came across this Time article on the fight for legal gay adoption. And quite frankly, it scares the shit out of me.

As we continue to focus our attention on gay marriage, the conservative front that has won every fight thus far in 45 states, is now turning their focus to gay adoption. Basically, we're several steps behind. As the article states, there's no where else really for them to go in the marriage battleground, and since they're not only happy to strip us of our basic right to marriage, they want to strip us of our right to any sort of family. Are we prepared to engage them on this fight? Or are we as unprepared as we were for the marriage battle?

To quote the article:

More...

"Meanwhile, conservative activists across the country are working hard to make sure that no court, at any level, has the final word on gay adoption. Like gay marriage before it, conservatives are looking at the issue of who can raise children as one best decided at the ballot box, not in the courthouse. Those efforts received a boost on election day in Arkansas, where voters easily passed a law that restricts any unmarried couple living together from adopting children. Arkansas joined Florida, Nebraska, Utah and Mississippi as the only states with laws that either directly or indirectly ban adoption by gays.

"Similar statehouse fights are pending in South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, says gay adoption expert and advocate Jennifer Chrisler, and more are likely to follow, as conservatives try to duplicate their successful strategy to ban gay marriage state by state. 'The other side was very strategic about their efforts to ban gay marriage," Chrisler, executive director of the Family Equality Center in Boston, told TIME. "They were able to bring that issue to the attention of the American people well before Americans were ready to have that conversation. They are likely to use a similar strategy when it comes to parenting issues.'"

Before the Supreme Court ruling in May granting gay marriage here in California, I had all but resolved myself that I would never get married, but once this right was given to me, I was thrilled, making the stripping away of this right that much more painful. However, I always saw myself becoming a parent, something I've always wanted to be, a right that many states in this country allow for gay people.

IF THE CONSERVATIVE RIGHT HAVE THEIR WAY, THEY WILL STRIP ALL OF US OF THIS RIGHT, TOO. And that cuts me to the quick.

I CALL UPON EVERYONE in the LGBTQ community, as they hold these town halls, discussing how we should continue the fight for gay marriage, to also discuss how we are to fight the conservatives on their equally strategic, manipulative and deceptive campaign to strip us of our rights to be parents.

If they have their way, they will strip us of every right we currently have, making us no more effective in our own lives and our own country than small children, forcing us to ask them for permission on everything we want to do and be, making us so much less than second-class citizens, but basically non-existant.

Are we prepared?

BREAKING NEWS: Florida ban on gay adoptions ruled unconstitutional

Read the Miami Herald report.

See video of the judge giving the ruling and a video report from a local CBS affiliate.