Out-of-State Adoptions by Same-Sex Couples Are OK
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this afternoon that an Oklahoma law preventing same-sex couples from getting birth certificates for children adopted in other states is illegal under the “Full Faith and Credit Clause” of the U.S. Constitution. The Court thus upheld a previous U.S. District Court ruling that said a child born in Oklahoma and adopted in another state by a same-sex couple should receive an Oklahoma birth certificate listing the adoptive parents.
(On a related note, Colorado today became the 10th state to legalize adoption by same-sex parents and the 20th to ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Governor Bill Ritter had approved the bills last May.)
Filed under: Family Creation, Politics and Law
[...] Marriage equality should not be the only issue discussed, however, no matter how much it is a rallying point for LGBT friends and foes alike. We need to make sure our children are protected when we cross state lines. We need to reduce homophobic bullying in schools and discrimination in the workplace. We need to address the high incidence of homelessness among LGBT youth. We need to remember AIDS is still with us, and not just an excuse for a walk around the park once a year. We need to remember that “LGBT” is a loose federation comprised of often disparate components, and that issues of race and class are tightly bound with LGBT concerns. We need a candidate who will work with us to achieve these goals and more. [...]