Charisma R. and Kristina S. were in a committed relationship for 6 years. They decided to have children together, and Kristina gave birth to their child in 2003. They started a baby journal and sent out a joint birth announcement. Charisma and Kristina cared for their child together, and Charisma provided the primary care after Kristina returned to work. When their child was only a few months old, Kristina abruptly left their shared home and refused to allow Charisma to have any contact with...
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LGBT parents
California Court of Appeal ruling stands; Lesbian mother’s parental rights upheld (San Francisco, CA, February 22, 2010) — Today, the United States Supreme Court denied review in a custody dispute involving a non-biological lesbian mother whose former partner, the child’s biological mother, was seeking to strip her of any parental rights. “I am so grateful that my relationship with my six-year-old daughter is legally protected,” said Charisma. “I love my daughter dearly, and I am relieved the...
Nation’s leading lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender family rights organizations launch historic visibility campaign (San Francisco, CA, December 7, 2009)—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), Our Family Coalition, and COLAGE joined national and regional lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) family rights groups from around the country to launch the “From Our Family to Yours Campaign,” designed to introduce the First Family to thousands of LGBTQ families. In...
National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, and Law Professor Nancy Polikoff applaud new legal protections for children (Washington, DC, July 22, 2009)—The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington (GLAA), and American University law professor Nancy Polikoff applaud the enactment of a new law to protect children born to same-sex parents in the District of Columbia. Councilmember Phil Mendelson was the...
(San Francisco, CA, May 13, 2009)—Today, the Florida Court of Appeal unanimously reversed a lower court ruling and held that Florida must give full faith and credit to adoptions granted to same-sex couples by other states, holding that Lara Embry, the plaintiff in the case, “must be given the same rights as any other adoptive parent in Florida.” The court based its decision on the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the federal constitution and a Florida statute requiring Florida to honor adoption...
Justices reject attempt to create exception to California non-discrimination law (San Francisco, CA, August 18, 2008)—Today, the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in Benitez v. North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group, declaring that the physicians of the North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group cannot deny medical treatment to individuals based on their sexual orientation. In 1999, North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group refused to provide fertility treatments to Guadalupe Benitez...
L.W. and K.R. raised their child, A.W., together from the time that K.R. gave birth to him. After the couple split up, L.W. became the child’s sole caregiver. L.W. obtained a parentage judgment from a California court establishing that she is A.W.’s legal parent. L.W. is disabled and receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The Social Security Act provides benefits for the children of people who receive SSDI, and L.W. applied for A.W. to receive benefits as...
Sue Ellen Carvin and Page Britain were in a committed relationship for 12 years. They had a child and raised her together for six years. After the couple separated, Britain cut off all contact between Carvin and the child. In November 2005, the Washington Supreme Court held that Carvin is a parent and is entitled to seek custody or visitation. Carvin was represented by the Northwest Women’s Law Center. NCLR, Lambda Legal, and Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE) filed an...
The ACLU of Virginia sued on behalf of four children adopted by same-sex couples after the Virginia Department of Vital Records refused to issue new birth certificates listing both of the children’s adoptive parents. The children were born in Virginia, but adopted by same-sex couples in the District of Columbia and New York. NCLR assisted Professor Joan Hollinger, one of the nation’s foremost scholars on adoption law, in filing an amicus brief supporting the children’s right...