Politics and Law
- The Labor Department will expand its interpretation of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to allow non-legal, non-biological parents to take leave to care for the legal children of a same-sex partner. Labor won’t officially announce the news until Wednesday, so stay tuned for further details. The AP reported that the changes would allow employees to take time to care for same-sex partners as well; Chris Geidner at Metro Weekly, however, says it will only apply to children—the most the department can do while DOMA still exists.
- A U.K. court ruled that a non-bio mom does not have to pay child support for the child she was raising with her ex-partner, because the two never entered into a civil partnership. The judge apparently agreed that she was a “social and psychological” mother to the child—but because she was not a legal one, she owed no support. She had, however, previously won shared custody. Blegh. I’ll be the first to say that with rights come responsibilities.
- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist told TIME that he has, “a live and let live attitude as it regards adoption [by gay men and lesbians].” He seems unclear as to how to change the existing law, however: “I think probably the best decision maker would be a judge. Currently we have a law on the books in Florida that precludes that from happening. I’m sure that a future legislature and maybe the next governor might address that issue.”
- This Wednesday, the Vermont Supreme Court will hear an appeal from attorneys for Lisa Miller, the “ex-lesbian” mom who apparently fled the country with her daughter rather than give primary custody of the girl to her ex-partner Janet Jenkins. The Family Court gave Jenkins full custody after Miller’s continued refusal to allow Jenkins visitation.
- Janice Langbehn, the lesbian mom who was kept from her dying partner’s side by a Florida hospital, will be a guest at the White House Pride Reception tonight. Karen Ocamb reports, however, that Langbehn “suffers from MS, is in constant pain from back surgery and other ailments, and is in financial trouble because she no longer has two incomes to help pay for her medical care and to take care of the couple’s three teenagers. Langbehn has set up a memorial fund to help pay for her family’s expenses. (I have not vetted the fund myself.)
Personal Stories
- Mass. Gov Deval Patrick’s secret campaign weapon? His lesbian daughter Katherine, writes Susan Ryan-Vollmar in the Rainbow Times.
- In the “not really surprising” news of the week, the Miami Herald reports, “More and more gay couples using surrogacy to become fathers.” The article promotes CNN’s Thursday special, Gary and Tony Have a Baby, but also speaks with one other local couple.
- You should also, therefore, read CNN’s pre-show interview with the aforesaid Gary and Tony.
- San Diego’s Gay and Lesbian Times goes them one better—or four better—and profiles two gay dads with five kids.
- North Carolina’s Star-News did a Father’s Day article profiling three dads, including a gay couple who adopted a multi-racial child.