Injustice for Florida Lesbian and Family

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Tuesday September 29, 2009 · 7:24 PM PDT

2009/09/29 · 19:24

I'm spitting nails over this one:

A U.S. District Court in Florida rejected a lawsuit by a lesbian mom who had been kept apart from her partner who lay dying in a Florida hospital. The couple's three children were kept from her as well.

In February 2007, Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond boarded an R Family cruise, looking forward to vacation with their children. Just before the boat left, however, Pond collapsed unexpectedly. She was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Janice and the children arrived close behind.

Lambda Legal explains:

drudolph

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Wednesday April 08, 2009 · 7:25 AM PDT

2009/04/08 · 07:25

In this week of euphoria over the marriage victories, let's not forget we still have a long way to go. Today, "a coalition of concerned Virginia citizens" has formed the "Protect Isabella Coalition" to "create awareness of what it labels 'judicial tyranny' in the child custody/visitation case involving Miller, Isabella's biological mother, and Vermonter Janet Jenkins, her lesbian former partner."

(I'm not going to boost their search ranking by giving them a direct link. If you like, cut and paste the following: www.protectisabella.com)

drudolph

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Monday December 08, 2008 · 8:50 PM PST

2008/12/08 · 20:50

Good news: The U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear the case of "ex-lesbian" biological mom Lisa Miller, letting stand a ruling that Virginia must enforce a Vermont court order awarding child-visitation rights to Miller's former civil-union partner Janet Jenkins. Newsweek covered the case this week just before the decision, in "Mrs. Kramer vs. Mrs. Kramer". (It's not a bad article, even though the legally married lesbians I know would never use the title "Mrs.")

The case is quite the legal tangle, involving interstate jurisdictions and a major right-wing legal advocacy group. Mostly, though, it is about six-year-old Isabella, whom the courts have finally decided should have both moms in her life. She and Jenkins have not seen each other since spring. (Miller is in contempt of court for not following visitation schedules.)

drudolph

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Saturday October 25, 2008 · 6:50 PM PDT

2008/10/25 · 18:50

Many bloggers are involved in efforts to help defeat Proposition 8. If you've done anything from posting about the upcoming vote to creating ways for your readers to engage in the issue, THANKS!

We hope you will take a moment to read the press release below about Write to Marry Day, a project to help generate hundreds of posts relating to Prop. 8 on October 29. If you'd like to support the effort, please consider an advance post using the graphic here.

By concentrating posts on one day we will also educate voters on the necessity of voting down the entire ballot to register their vote on the state's propositions.

If you participate and post on or around October 29, click the Write to Marry Day post on Mombian and let us know. All participants who leave a valid e-mail address will be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate. Thanks!

drudolph

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Monday June 02, 2008 · 5:05 AM PDT

2008/06/02 · 05:05

On June 2, for the third year in a row, I will be hosting Blogging for LGBT Families Day over at my Mombian blog. Contribute a post and join the celebration and the outreach. Any blogger who wants to support LGBT families is welcome, LGBT or not, parent or not. Last year, there were over 150 participants.

I encourage those who don’t usually post about LGBT families or LGBT issues, as well as those for whom every day is Blogging for LGBT Families Day. Give it a spin based on your usual blog topics. There’s no set formula or format. Photos and videos are also welcome.

Here's how it works:

drudolph

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Friday January 25, 2008 · 9:16 PM PST

2008/01/25 · 21:16

Not that I expect fine journalism from the News Corp-owned New York Post, but this goes beyond acceptability:

"EVIL LESBIAN MOM LEFT TODDLER TO DIE SLOW DEATH: DA" blares the headline. The story is a tragic one, of child abuse and neglect. A New York mother is accused of abandoning her 23-month-old son to death after he was beaten by her partner. The partner is currently serving a 15-years-to-life prison sentence for the murder.

If the women did what they are accused of, then they indeed they deserve whatever sentence they get for the horrible act. The fact of their being lesbian has nothing to do with it, however, any more than sexual orientation has to do with the many cases of child abuse perpetrated by straight couples. There are many bad people in the world, LGBT and not. Percentage-wise, I think we're about even. Thankfully, it's a small percentage.

drudolph

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Thursday January 10, 2008 · 11:26 AM PST

2008/01/10 · 11:26

(Originally published in Bay Windows, January 10, 2008, and crossposted at Mombian.)

Impact of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' hits children of LGBT servicemembers
Iraq War vet tells of struggles to raise two sons while closeted

Five-year-old William and three-year-old Ryan are the children of decorated U.S. Army officer Cheryl Parker. Like other children of service members, they have dealt with cross-country moves and months without their mother while she was deployed in Iraq. Unlike the others, however, they must forgo many benefits, conveniences and support services offered to military families, or risk revealing that they have another mother, Donna Lewis. This could lead to Parker's dismissal under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, even in LGBT-friendly Massachusetts. (Note: Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the family.)

drudolph

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Tuesday January 23, 2007 · 6:18 PM PST

2007/01/23 · 18:18

Some parents in the Evesham School District of Marlton, New Jersey are up in arms about part of the diversity curriculum that includes a film showing same-sex parents, reports WCAU-TV/NBC 10 Philadelphia News. Garden State Equality has posted a clip of the coverage to YouTube. The film shows children and their parents, with the children talking about why they love their families.

drudolph

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Thursday October 12, 2006 · 11:26 PM PDT

2006/10/12 · 23:26

There are an estimated 8.8 million gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) persons in the U.S., and the number of same-sex couples has grown 30 percent in the last five years, claims a new report from the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy (PDF link). The study looks at data from the 2005 American Community Survey (ACS) and gives us the first chance to take a fresh look at GLB demographics since the 2000 Census. It also uncovered some interesting political points:

Same-sex couples are found in all Congressional districts. The 2005 ACS is the first survey to provide data regarding same-sex couples for current districts. Those with the highest number and percentage of GLB individuals tend to be more urban. California's 8th district (San Francisco) ranks first in both categories.
Six of the eight states with a 2006 ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage—Arizona, Colorado, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin—had increases in the number of same-sex couples above the national rate of 30 percent.

drudolph

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Monday October 02, 2006 · 7:56 AM PDT

2006/10/02 · 07:56

With all the hoopla surrounding Mark Foley's follies, let's not forget that the Supreme Court begins its term today. They will hear cases on hot-button issues such as the legality of late-term abortions and local school integration policies, among other things. According to the Washington Post, Roberts and Alito responded to Democratic concerns about impartiality by "[pledging] to take due account of stare decisis, the rule that says the court should avoid overruling past decisions." Hmm. I'm just not sure I believe that.

Another case with far-reaching impact relates to global warming. The Court will hear "one of the most significant environmental cases in decades" (ABC News) and decide whether the Bush administration must regulate carbon dioxide emissions, or if voluntary measures are enough. "It's not just the Bush Administration's environmental policies that will be tested via Massachusetts v. EPA," CBS News comments, "it's the White House's approach to science, generally, that will come under scrutiny."

Hooooh boy. It should be an exciting, if anxiety-producing, term. Stay tuned.

Federal Pension Protection Act Gives Historic Rights to LGBT Americans

drudolph

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Thursday August 17, 2006 · 1:13 PM PDT

2006/08/17 · 13:13

The federal Pension Protection Act signed into law today by President Bush includes two provisions extending important financial protections to same-sex couples as well as other Americans. The Human Rights Campaign explains: Read More

President Bush Declares National Parents' Day

drudolph

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Friday July 21, 2006 · 8:28 PM PDT

2006/07/21 · 20:28

Crossposted with slight alterations from MotherTalkers.com and my own blog, Mombian.

President Bush has declared this Sunday, July 23, to be National Parents' Day. He says, in part:

I call upon citizens, private organizations, and governmental bodies at all levels to engage in activities and educational efforts that recognize, support, and honor parents.

As a lesbian mom, I find his words laughable. Read More

RSS

Injustice for Florida Lesbian and Family

It's Not Over Yet: "Protect Isabella Coalition" Forms to Keep Girl from Lesbian Mom

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Lesbian Mom's Rights

Join Us on Write to Marry Day, October 29

Today Is Blogging for LGBT Families Day

Banish the "Evil Lesbian Mom"

Children Ask, Children Tell

New Jersey School District Under Fire for Video Showing Same-Sex Parents

We're Here, We're Queer, We Vote in Every District

New Supreme Court Term to Hear Abortion and Affirmative Action Cases

Federal Pension Protection Act Gives Historic Rights to LGBT Americans

President Bush Declares National Parents' Day