Marriage & Adoption Rights

PORTLAND - A lesbian couple filed suit Wednesday, challenging the state’s refusal to recognize both as parents of their son.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Jeana Frazzini and her partner, K.D. Parman, contends that they have the same right to be recognized as parents to son Emmett, 2, as a straight couple whose child - conceived through artificial insemination - is biologically related to one parent, but not the other.

Married at the time in March 2004, the Portland couple said they were shocked to receive a birth certificate that listed only Parman, the biological mother called “Meema” by Emmett, but not Frazzini, whom the boy calls “Mama.” (source)

I read this story and got to thinking a bit...

I’ve heard arguments on how marriage is in the best interests of the child. So that argument was once used to prevent gay couples from having marriage because of course, they don’t have children.

Then it was discovered that they do indeed have children. So then the focus went away from marriage being in the best interests for the child to keeping children away from gays at all costs. So now, many are looking into the drafting of laws specifically to prevent gays from adoption. Wait and see, this will be the next big election topic - right up there with (you guessed it), preventing gay marriage.

But this couple didn’t adopt. One of the women conceived and had this baby. Moreover, they were married for a short time. After their marriage, the State of Oregon voided nearly 3,000 marriages performed for gay couples.

I guess I’m just thinking out loud here. It just seems to me that those who want gays not to get married are all over the issue in different ways; no marriage for gays, “some” rights for gays as long as it’s not called “marriage”, no adoption for gays... on and on.

I suppose it won’t be long before someone tries to pass a law making it illegal for a gay man to donate sperm for the purpose of conceiving his own child, or for a lesbian to conceive with the intention of keeping the child, giving the child to a gay man, or sharing custody.

In all honesty, nothing surprises me anymore.