Here are a few items from the last half of Pride Month that I haven’t covered elsewhere, including a piece by the son of the California marriage equality lead plaintiffs.
- Spencer Perry, son of the two moms who were lead plaintiffs in the case that allowed same-sex couples in California to marry, writes about how he realized his family was different, the impact of the case on his life, and his thoughts about his moms getting married.
- The latest installment in RaiseAChild.US’ Let Love Define Family series profiles a military family with two moms and an almost-two-year-old daughter.
- KTAR looks at the challenges for gay adoptive parents in Arizona, where a law giving preference to married couples (different-sex couples by definition there) hasn’t stopped many gay people from adopting children.
- Patrick McAleenan asks at the U.K.’s Telegraph, “Why aren’t more gay men becoming parents?” and looks at the challenges, from social attitudes of others to lack of information and support.
- Brynn Tannehill writes at Salon about “Celebrating Father’s Day as a transgender parent.”
- The Transgender Law Center gave father, writer. and public health consultant Willy Wilkinson its 2014 Claire Skiffington Vanguard Award.
- A new study shows that same-sex couples with kids have about 20% less saved for retirement than different-sex couples. Based on the Money coverage of the study, this is mostly because women make less than men, and about two-thirds of same-sex parent couples are women. I’d add that until last year, when we could have our marriages recognized by the federal government, we were also hindered by not having a spouse be able to contribute to a spousal IRA when the other spouse left paid employment to stay home with a child, and in having to pay income tax on health insurance coverage from a spouse’s employer.
- The Finnish Parliament, which is considering a bill to give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, is also debating amendments to allow same-sex couples to adopt (beyond second-parent adoptions of a partner’s biological child, which is already allowed). A new poll shows that opinions are divided on the matter.
- The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on “Protection of the Family,” calling for a report and discussion on the status of the family. Seems harmless enough — but some say “The reference to a singular ‘family’ without acknowledging diversity could be used as precedent to oppose rights for LGBT couples in later negotiations.”