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The ACLU is committed to defending the rights of LGBT parents, not only in custody and visitation arrangements but also by challenging discriminatory laws that restrict the rights of LGBT people to parent.

> Child Advocacy Groups Urge Florida Appeals Court To Strike Gay Adoption Ban

> ACLU of Montana Defends Parents’ and Children’s Rights

Lesbian Gay Rights : Parenting : Press Releases view all

Child Advocacy Groups Urge Florida Appeals Court To Strike Gay Adoption Ban (06/23/2009)
MIAMI – The most respected Florida and national children’s health, welfare and legal advocacy groups filed seven friend-of-the-court briefs before a Florida appeals court Monday urging the court to strike down a Florida law barring lesbians and gay men from adopting. The briefs were filed in support of an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit that resulted in a Florida juvenile court judge striking down the law and granting the adoptions of two brothers to a gay man who has been raising the boys with his partner for more than four years.

ACLU of Montana Defends Parents’ and Children’s Rights (04/17/2009)
MISSOULA, MT — The Montana Supreme Court heard oral arguments today on a legal appeal that could set precedent for whether children have a right to maintain relationships with both their parents after a break-up.

New Web Campaign, Tell-Three.org, Encourages People to Talk About What it Means to be LGBT (02/03/2009)
NEW YORK – Join the Impact has partnered with other national LGBT groups to develop a web based public education campaign, www.tell-three.org, to encourage LGBT people and their supporters to have three conversations with friends and family to help build support for LGBT equality.

ACLU Asks Court To Strike Down Arkansas Parenting Ban (12/30/2008)
LITTLE ROCK - The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit today seeking to strike down a new law that bans any unmarried person who lives with a partner from serving as an adoptive or foster parent in the state of Arkansas.

ACLU Urges Tennessee Appeals Court To Protect Rights Of Lesbian Mom (12/23/2008)
NASHVILLE – In a brief filed today, the American Civil Liberties Union is urging a Tennessee appeals court to remove a ban preventing a divorced mom from having her partner of nine years and her own children stay at her home at the same time. The trial court unconstitutionally imposed the so-called "paramour restriction" on the lesbian couple even though the psychologist who performed the custodial evaluation in the case found the partner to be a positive influence in the children's lives.

Lesbian Gay Rights : Parenting : Publications

Too High a Price: The Case Against Restricting Gay Parenting (11/13/2006)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Parenting : Legal Documents view all

Maniaci v. Kulstad - Brief (03/22/2009)

Cole v. Arkansas - Plaintiffs' Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (02/27/2009)

Cole v. Arkansas - Plaintiffs Opposition to Motion to Intervene (02/05/2009)
The ACLU's opposition to a motion to intervene in Cole v. Arkansas, its challenge to an Arkansas ban on unmarried people who live with partners serving as foster or adoptive parents

Cole v. Arkansas - Complaint (12/30/2008)
Plaintiffs's complaint challenging Arkansas Act 1, the ballot initiative which banned foster parenting and adoption by unmarried couples in Arkansas.

Chandler v. Barker - Appeals Brief (12/23/2008)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Parenting : Legislative Documents

Testimony of Jill G. Joseph, MD, PhD, at a Oversight Hearing on "Legal Threats to Traditional Marriage: Implications for Public Policy" before the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the House Judiciary Committee (04/22/2004)

Letter to the House on D.C. Appropriations Vote (07/29/1999)

Letter to the House on D.C. Appropriations Debate (07/27/1999)

Lesbian and Gay Rights During President Clinton's Second Term: A Working Paper Published by the Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights (01/15/1999)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Parenting : Resources view all

In re: Gill - Summary of Scientific Evidence (11/25/2008)
Summary of expert testimony on the scientific evidence regarding gay parents and their children.

In re: Gill - About the Experts (11/25/2008)
Excerpts about the expert witnesses, from the proposed findings of fact in our challenge to Florida's anti-gay adoption law.

In re: Gill - About the Experts (11/25/2008)
Excerpts about the expert witnesses, from the proposed findings of fact in our challenge to Florida's anti-gay adoption law.

In re: Gill - Summary of Scientific Evidence (11/25/2008)
Summary of expert testimony on the scientific evidence regarding gay parents and their children.

Johnston v. MO Dept. of Social Services - Plaintiff Profile: Lisa Johnston (05/03/2005)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Parenting : Fact Sheets view all

Maniaci v. Kulstad - Frequently Asked Questions (04/17/2009)

Maniaci v. Kulstad - Background and Timeline (04/17/2009)

Cole v. Arkansas - Profiles of our Plaintiffs and their Families (12/30/2008)
Profiles of the plaintiffs in Cole v. Arkansas, the challenge to the recently passed ban of adoptions by unmarried couples.

Frequently Asked Questions About Arkansas Act 1 (12/05/2008)

Frequently Asked Questions About Arkansas Act 1 (12/05/2008)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Parenting : Court Cases view all

Maniaci v. Kulstad - Case Profile (04/16/2009)

Cole v. Arkansas (12/30/2008)
Challenges Arkansas Act 1, a ballot initiative passed in 2008 making it illegal for unmarried people who cohabit with a partner to adopt or foster children.

Chandler v. Barker (12/23/2008)
An appeal of the imposition of a "paramour" restriction on the custody rights of a mother in a lesbian relationship in Tennessee.

In re Hadaway - Case Profile (05/02/2007)

Johnston v. MO Dept. of Social Services - Case Profile (05/03/2005)
The Missouri Department of Social Services turned down Lisa Johnston's application to become a foster parent because she's a lesbian.

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