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Dana Rudolph
Dana Rudolph
By Dana Rudolph on May 5, 2011
The openly gay sponsor of a marriage equality bill in Rhode Island has said he would push for civil unions instead. Six states are considering legislation that would ask voters to ban recognition of marriage for same-sex couples. And all this was on the heels of a loss for a marriage equality bill in Maryland. Has the state legislative fight for marriage equality lost momentum?
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on April 27, 2011
Each year, over 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system are waiting for adoptive homes. And over two million gay and lesbian people are interested in adopting a child. But legislative and court battles are being waged in several states over whether gay and lesbian people should be allowed to adopt.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on April 20, 2011
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a memo April 6 encouraging child welfare agencies to better serve the needs of “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth” in the foster care system.
Posted in Health, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on April 20, 2011
Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez on April 15 re-introduced legislation to address bullying and harassment of LGBT students, among others. “No student should ever be afraid to come to school because they are being intimidated by bullies,” said Rep. Sánchez. “Every student has the right to a safe and comfortable learning environment. Bullying is violent and [...]
Posted in News Briefs
By Dana Rudolph on April 14, 2011
A recent federal court decision–in a case stemming from a conservative response to GLSEN’s Day of Silence–has upheld the right of students to express certain anti-gay sentiments.
Posted in Cases, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on April 13, 2011
In a case that calls into question the responsibility of states to recognize adoptions granted in other states, a federal circuit court said Louisiana does not have to put the names of two gay fathers on the birth certificate of a Louisiana-born boy whom they adopted in New York.
Posted in Adoption, Cases, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, U.S. Circuit Courts
By Dana Rudolph on April 12, 2011
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it is launching a national media campaign to promote equal access to housing regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, among other characteristics.
Posted in Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on April 7, 2011
The Arkansas Supreme Court unanimously upheld a lower court ruling that struck down the state’s ban on adoption and foster parenting by any person cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of marriage. The state high court said the law violates “fundamental privacy rights implicit in the Arkansas Constitution.”
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, State Courts
By Dana Rudolph on March 23, 2011
The Arkansas Supreme Court heard arguments March 17 in a case to determine whether the state constitution will allow a law banning any person cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of marriage from adopting or foster a child. It is a case some legal observers expect could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, Lawsuits, News, State Courts, State Supreme Courts
By Dana Rudolph on March 17, 2011
The Delaware Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding the right of a woman to be identified as a “de facto” parent of a child she had been raising with her former same-sex partner—a child the partner adopted but that the woman herself did not.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, News, State Courts, State Supreme Courts
By Dana Rudolph on March 15, 2011
Supporters of allowing same-sex couples to marry in Maryland could see the altar: passing the House and sending the bill to a governor who said he would sign it. But on March 11, the House unanimously voted to send it back to committee.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on March 11, 2011
The White House held a high-visibility conference on bullying prevention March 10, with the President and First Lady calling on parents, teachers, students, and communities to address the problem together.
Posted in Congress, Health, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on March 9, 2011
Members of Congress are introducing a flurry of bills this week designed to address bullying and harassment of students, including LGBT students, and timed to coincide with a major White House conference on bullying prevention March 10.
Posted in Congress, Health, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on March 8, 2011
Proponents of marriage equality are holding their own this week in two battleground states, despite tough skirmishes that threatened ground they had previously gained. But in both states–Maryland and New Hampshire–more critical battles seem almost inevitable, perhaps on the ballot in 2012.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on March 1, 2011
Marriage equality in Maryland looks set to take one of two paths–and neither is likely to enable same-sex couples to marry in the Free State for many months to come.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on March 1, 2011
On the long list of hopes that LGBT advocates put together at the beginning of the Obama administration was the idea that the president should issue an executive order requiring the federal government enter into contracts only with companies that have non-discrimination policies protecting employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Posted in A closer look
By Dana Rudolph on February 23, 2011
Marriage equality and legal recognition for same-sex relationships took a few big steps forward this past week—in Maryland, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. But they took a few steps backward, too—in Indiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
By Dana Rudolph on February 12, 2011
Same-sex couples with adopted children living in states with anti-gay adoption laws and attitudes had more mental health issues in their first year of parenthood than couples with adopted children living in more accepting states, a new study has found.
Posted in Adoption, Issues, Law, News, State Courts
By Dana Rudolph on February 8, 2011
A film about two lesbian moms, The Kids Are All Right, is an Oscar contender this month. ABC’s Modern Family, which features two gay dads, won last year’s Best Comedy Emmy. But a series of court cases in the past two months shows that the right of lesbian and gay people to be recognized as parents is still very much open to challenge–and one legal expert says the challenges will increase.
Posted in A closer look
By Dana Rudolph on February 7, 2011
Marriage equality in Maryland got a boost in the past week from two prominent politicians, but a winter storm delayed a marriage equality hearing in Rhode Island. Elsewhere, conditions were variable.
Posted in Issues, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, State Politics
Ginsburg on Roe: Is it a signal she’d curb a decision on marriage?
Leahy submits language to help bi-national same-sex couples
Delaware votes for marriage equality; becomes 11th state to make it the law
Rhode Island marriage law signed; Two more states could vote next week
Rhode Island marriage bill clears final hurdle with all Republicans