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Gay Couples and Parental Rights

Gay couples are often faced with many problems in society when it comes to one partner having a child. This often involves negative attitudes, legal snags and related issues.

One problem faced by gay couples who adopt or already have a child is the prejudice of many in society against this lifestyle. This has started to change in the last few years, but many are still against what is actually a wonderful situation. There are a lot of children who remain to be adopted in this country and gay couples can offer a safe, loving home to these youngsters. They do have to face negative attitudes at times at work, school and in society in general.

When it comes to guardianship, gay couples often do often have the right to transfer it from one partner to the other. This can be an issue when setting up a will if one partner passes away. This is a hotly contested issue in the gay community and has been debated in many state governments. The hope is that positive legislation will be passed that grants the right of guardianship to the surviving partner.

As more and more children enter the system in need of adoption, society will have to open its doors to gay couples. They offer so much that these children can benefit from. As prevailing attitudes change, legislation will hopefully be passed that reduces a number of these barriers and gives gay couples the rights equal rights of parentship that they deserve.

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The Changing Perspective of Homosexuality in the United States

 

 

Crowd in support of Gay Marriage

Image via Wikipedia

The United States has started to see greater advances in the perspective of homosexuality over the last few years. This has not only been a surge of empowerment but also of legislation.

One of the most contentious issues in the last decade has been the argument over gay marriage. State by state, the battle has been on to pass legislation either to ban or approve the union of a gay couple in their constitutions. As more states have made it legal, it has put increasing pressure on other states to follow suit. This has been key to issues related to gay marriage such as life insurance, guardianship of children and other issues that are adversely affected when a ban is in place.

This same change has been seen in the United States military, which has carried a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding homosexuality for a long time. Current legislative changes have been made to get rid of this policy, opening the doors for gays in the military to be open and others to enter without fear of being discovered and discharged.

Society is slowly starting to change its perspective on homosexuality as well, opening up more minds to a lifestyle that was posed in a negative light in the past. This will hopefully continue to grow as television shows, movies and books show this lifestyle increasingly in a positive way. Then acceptance will be offered more and the gay community can enjoy the benefits of equal treatment from others.

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Future Looks Bright for Same-Sex Couples and Adoption

Louisiana’s House Civil Law and Procedure Committee decided in May that same-sex, unmarried couples don’t have the right to adopt children. That’s the bad news for homosexual couples that want to expand their families by adopting children. There is, however, plenty of news showing that the House committee is hopelessly behind the times.

Rainbow American flag promoting equality for e...

Image via Wikipedia

Same-Sex Marriage Approval Up

A recent Gallup poll shows that the majority of Americans have finally come around to recognizing the rights of all people to marry the ones they love. The 2011 poll showed that 53 percent of Americans were in favor of making same-sex marriage legal. That’s a huge jump from a poll conducted 15 years ago that only showed 27 percent of Americans in favor of equal rights.

The Changing Tide

Polls show that the tide is changing in favor of equal rights for all people. Perhaps even more telling, however, is how out of touch opponents of equal rights sound. The Catholic Church, for instance, doesn’t think that same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children because it doesn’t benefit the spiritual and moral interests of the kids. This misses the reality that thousands of children in Louisiana alone are in dire need of caring homes. While priests spend time worrying about the moral development, the children sit in foster homes and orphanages, often without any true moral instruction from some who cares more about love than dogma.

The fact of the matter is that the House committee is now in the minority. Most people support equal rights. It’s just a short matter of time before all people in this country are allowed to marry and adopt freely.

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How To Find Local Businesses That Support A Homosexual Lifestyle

If you are looking for ways to support the gay community in your town, one of the easiest ways to do so is to seek out gay-friendly businesses in your area, and strive to give them your patronage whenever possible. However, if you choose to undertake this mission, you may find that it’s often harder than you might imagine to find businesses that are particularly friendly and welcoming towards the gay community.

If your community publishes a newspaper for the gay community, their classified advertisements section will be one of your best resources. Although some companies have to work very hard to demonstrate that they are welcoming to those who uphold a gay lifestyle, those who take it upon themselves to advertise in such media outlets are likely at the forefront of offering employment opportunities to all.

When you find a company that you think may be supportive towards the gay lifestyle, ask for an employment application. Check to see if it mentions that the company does not discriminate against a person’s sexual orientation. If this is mentioned, it’s a good clue that the company would be willing to accept the lifestyle of a gay employee. Keep in mind however, that most companies must pledge, by law to be an “equal opportunity employer,” which means that at least in theory, they cannot discriminate against someone just because they choose a homosexual lifestyle. In most cases though, actions speak louder than legal verbage, so, if you have any gay friends, ask them where they work, and whether or not they feel that the work environment is supportive towards their chosen lifestyle.

You can also check to see if a company requires its employees to go through diversity training, and if this training involves a segment which covers gay and lesbian lifestyle choices. In general, although diversity comes in a multitude of forms, companies who have dedicated themselves towards embracing diversity will be more accepting towards people who choose a homosexual lifestyle.

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Remembering Paris Is Burning

St. Laurent in the film Paris is Burning. 

Image via Wikipedia

“Paris is Burning” was a documentary that was made in the mid to late 1980s. The theme of the documentary focuses on the struggle for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals to make it in New York City. A major theme of the documentary is also the performative act of dressing up for “balls” or events in which the LGBT community wears costume to fit a theme and tries to win the ball by looking the “most” of whatever they are supposed to be, whether that be drag, or dressing to be straight.

Paris is Burning has lived in the hearts and minds of all those who have seen, but it also lives in the hearts and minds of those who are every day standing up for their rights and pushing for more progressive views towards all issues gay. Here are just a few of the other aspects of Paris is Burning that are still alive today.

Benefits of “Paris is Burning”

1. Awareness- The most important aspect of the documentary is that it created awareness for a problem that most people still don’t know existed. It created an awareness that gave homes and families to hundreds if not thousands of displaced children who were put on the streets by their parents of being gay.

2. Openess- The documentary create a dialogue where people were finally talking about gay rights and the issues that go along with gay rights. Paris Is Burning, was a very effective tool in showing the humanity of the LGBT community and what could be done to ensure that, that community was not cast aside.

The documentary “Paris is Burning” provided a generation with the materials to see the world as it really is and not how they wanted to see it, or how others wanted them to see it. It shed light on how being a human was seeing humanity in everyone.

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Get Started on Your LGBT Rights Law Degree

Would you like to be able to speak up in defense for rights of LGBT members? You can prepare in your spare time to go to law school. Do it online! Don’t know the requirements? There are websites that tell you, including one from Harvard. It can get you started down the right path to finding the perfect online program as well as prepare you to take the LSAT for entrance into law school. You can also look into what sections you would like to specialize. You can find just about anything having to do with LGBT rights in specific sections.

Maybe you haven’t seriously considered doing more school online. Have you talked to people who tell you that online programs aren’t “up to snuff?” Things are changing fast in the online education world. Many universities, like Cornell, Stanford and MIT are putting the curriculum for several of their degree programs online. It benefits them to be able to handle more students, and provides benefits for you, too. Just think of the convenience! “Well, I have finished breakfast, I think I’ll go to class.” No having to get all dressed up. No worrying about cleaning snow off the car to get there or stand at the bus stop. Just walk into the computer (or pull it off your nightstand) and go to work. Class is right there with a click of the mouse.

You’ll find the cost less, too! Just like traditional schools, scholarships are available. You can find the requirements and plan your future. Earnmydegree.com will help you find schools that seem to be tailor made to your specifications. You can compare your top picks of programs and settle on the one for you. You can keep the job you have to put your money away for law school and do the preparatory schooling in your time at home.

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