Word of the Gay: "Second Parent Adoption"

"Second Parent Adoption" is a legal procedure allowing one partner in a same-sex couple to adopt the other partners biological children so that both can be regarded as legal guardians.

"Voices Raised" - Survey for POC With LGBT Parent/Guardian of Color

Do you identify as a person of color and have or had one or more LGBTQ parent or guardian of color?

If so, this survey is for you! Take this survey and enter the raffle by Monday, April 20th, 2009. One survey participant will receive a brand new iPod shuffle as a thank you for your time and energy!!

COLAGE is a national movement of children, youth, and adults who have or had one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ) parents. We build community and work toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education, and advocacy.

COLAGE is thrilled to announce the launch of Voices Raised, A POC led project of COLAGE, whose mission is to seek, celebrate and reflect the unique voices and experiences of COLAGErs of color who have/had one or more LGBTQ parent or guardian of color.

As part of the Voices Raised project, we are launching this survey intended for all children, youth and adults who identify as Asian-American, Bi-racial, Black/African-American, Latino/a, Mixed, Multi-racial, Native-American, Pacific Islander ,Multi-National, or people of color and who have/had an LGBTQ parent or guardian of color who identifies as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit and/or Same-Gender Loving.

Florida Democratic Rep. Darryl Rouson's Anti-Gay Adoption Stance

"An appearance by Florida State Democratic Rep. Darryl Rouson (formerly Republican) on a talk show discussing adoption by same-sex couples has been raising eyebrows.

Said Rouson: "I think it is wrong to allow adoptions of children by gay and lesbian couples. It sends a wrong message early to a child during formative years that’s hard to overcome just by sitting down and talking to them."

As well as, "I think lesbianism and homosexuality is morally wrong. The law is supposed to discriminate sometimes, in some respects, it is supposed to discriminate against social order and anarchy."

Rouson is running against Rev. Charles McKenzie in the August 26th Democratic primary. McKenzie supports anti-discrimination laws and opposes Amendment 2, the Marriage Protection Amendment.



Contact Anti-gay Candidate - E-Contact Form
voterouson@gmail.com
Phone: 727-322-2777

Pro-Equality Candidate - http://www.mckenzie2008.com/index.html

Crossposted from Towerload.

Obama's Letter to the Family Equality Council

Barack Obama on LGBT families:

"In light of the recent and offensive statements by McCain on the right of same-sex couples to adopt, Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of the Family Equality Council, wrote the following to the Obama campaign:

"As a lesbian mother and the executive director of Family Equality Council, the national organization working to ensure equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families by building community, changing hearts and minds and advancing social justice for all families, I know how hard parents work to raise happy, healthy children. Regardless of their sexual orientations and gender identities, regardless of how many parents or caregivers are present in a family, all parents begin each day with their children at the forefront of their thoughts. On behalf of diverse families, I ask for your plan to recognize, respect, protect and celebrate all of the loving families you seek to represent... These families want to know how your administration will address their needs. What policies and positions will you take to make sure that all loving families are recognized, respected, protected and celebrated? How will you lead all families to a brighter future?"

This afternoon the Obama campaign posted excerpts from a response from Barack Obama himself which reads as follows:

"While we live in a nation that is enriched by a vast array of diverse traditions, cultures and histories, it is our commonality that most defines us. The desire to build a life with a loved one, to provide for a family and to have children who will grow and thrive -- these are desires that all people share, regardless of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. My own experience has taught me this lesson well. I was born to a single mother, my devoted grandparents helped raise me, and then I married the woman of my dreams and had two beautiful daughters.

We know that the cost of the American dream must never come at the expense of the American family. For decades we’ve had politicians in Washington who talk about family values, but we haven’t had policies that value families. Instead, it’s harder for working parents to make a living while raising their kids. It's even harder to get a break.

That's why I'll double spending on quality after-school programs - so that you can know your kids are safe and secure. And that's why I'll expand the Family Medical Leave Act to include more businesses and millions more workers; to let parents participate in school activities with their kids; and to cover elderly care. And we'll finally put federal support behind state efforts to provide paid family and medical leave. We'll require employers to provide seven paid sick days each year. We'll enforce laws that prohibit caregiver discrimination. And we'll encourage flexible work schedules to better balance work and parenting for mothers and fathers. That's the change that working families need.

We have to do more to support and strengthen LGBT families. Because equality in relationship, family, and adoption rights is not some abstract principle; it's about whether millions of LGBT Americans can finally live lives marked by dignity and freedom. That’s why we have to repeal laws like the Defense of Marriage Act. That’s why we have to eliminate discrimination against LGBT families. And that’s why we have to extend equal treatment in our family and adoption laws.

I’ll be a president that stands up for American families – all of them."

Crossposted from Blabbeando

John McCain Video on Gay Adoption

U.S. Presidential candidate John McCain appeared on ABC's This Week and was questioned on his position over same-sex couples adopting.

GLAAD Urges Action to Condemn FX Networks Over Anti-Gay Activist

"The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today urged community members to contact FX Networks to express their concerns about a defamatory claim by an anti-gay activist that will appear, unchallenged, in the June 24 episode of 30 Days.

During the June 24 episode, entitled "Same Sex Parenting," Kati, a woman who opposes gay and lesbian parents and their families, lives for 30 days with gay parents Dennis and Thomas and their four adopted sons. The episode includes the personal stories of kids raised by lesbian and gay parents.

Regrettably, the episode also features a defamatory statement by Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council, an anti-gay activist organization, who claims: "Homosexuality is associated with higher rates of sexual promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and child sexual abuse, and those are all reasons for us to be concerned about placing children into that kind of setting." While there is no credible scientific research that backs Sprigg’s claim - and much that disputes it - the episode presents his assertion as if it were fact and offers no credible social science experts or child health authorities to challenge Sprigg’s assertion. Indeed, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the Child Welfare League of America, and many other child health and social services authorities who support parenting by qualified lesbian and gay parents dispute Sprigg’s claim."

TAKE ACTION:
FX Networks:
Nick Grad
Executive Vice President of Original Programming
(310) 369-0949
ngrad@fxnetworks.com

Chuck Saftler
Executive Vice President of Programming
(310) 369-0949
csaftler@fxnetworks.com

Scott Seomin
Vice President of Public Relations
(310) 369-0938
scott.seomin@fxnetwork.com

For more on the press release and action alert, head on over to GLAAD.