Two moms had the first baby in their county and one of the first in the nation this year.
On the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2015, Aviyonnah Kiara Bryant-Grant was born to her two moms, Shanae Grant and Beatrice Bryant. The family lives in Vanceboro and now has a total of three boys and three girls, according to the New Bern Sun Journal. “She came out ready for the New Year,” said Grant, and Bryant added, “She’ll always have people who love her.”
One can see the newspaper struggling with reporting about a same-sex couple, however. Some turns of phrase awkwardly make a point of the nature of their relationship: “Shanae and Beatrice have a same-sex-relationship and live in Vanceboro,” and “Thursday, the proud pair held and hugged new 19¾-inch Aviyonnah as a same sex couple. It’s official; no father is listed.” Better might be: “Partners Shanae and Beatrice live in Vanceboro” and, simply, “Thursday, the proud pair held and hugged new 19¾-inch Aviyonnah.”
Still, the fact of this article appearing in a middling-sized county in a state not known for being on the cutting edge of LGBTQ equality is something.
Congratulations to the two moms and their New Year’s joy!