Schools and Youth
- A federal judge ruled that high school senior Constance McMillen had a First Amendment right to attend her senior prom with the date of her choice and wearing the clothes of her choice, although he said he wouldn’t force the school to hold the prom they canceled after McMillen requested to attend with a female date.
- A high school in the small town of Cochran, Georgia, however, has affirmed it will allow 18-year-old Derrick Martin to attend his prom with a same-sex date. Unfortunately, his parents have now kicked him out.
Politics and Law
- The city commission of West Palm Beach, Florida voted unanimously to support a repeal of the state’s ban on adoption by gay men and lesbians.
- Laurie Jinkins, deputy director of the Pierce County Health Department in Washington State, is running for state representative. If elected she would be Washington’s first openly lesbian politician elected to state office—and the first lesbian mom as well.
- Gay dads Mark Maxwell and Timothy Young, tried to join the nearby Central YMCA, part of YMCA of Northwest North Carolina, as a family. They were turned down. The Winston-Salem Journal reports that they were told the rate only applies to those who are legally married according to state law or those who file joint tax returns. Apparently, this is the only large metropolitan YMCA in the state that doesn’t allow same-sex couples to get family memberships, and its president says the organization is due to review its membership categories, so maybe this is an opportunity for change.
Research and Resources
- A Spanish study of non-traditional families has concluded that same-sex parents create an “excellent” atmosphere for raising children. “because education of values such as tolerance was enhanced, and because both members of the couple got involved in the education of the child, even if it was often because they feared social rejection” (via EDGE Boston).
- The Chronicle of Higher Education offers advice for lesbian and gay employees seeking to adopt. It’s aimed at those in the academic community, but may be useful for others as well.