To: President Donald Trump, The Illinois State House, The Illinois State Senate, Governor J.B. Pritzker, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Equal Parental Rights for Same-Sex Parents
It is time to grant equal legal parental rights to the non-biological same-sex parent in regard to medical and educational decisions, inheritance rights, Social Security benefits, child custody, child support, and visitation whenever the non-biological parent has;
A. Created a nurturing parental bond with the child(ren),
B. Acted in a manner that is consistent with the child(ren)’s best interest,
C. Been actively involved in the child(ren)’s life for a substantial amount of time,
D. Regards the child(ren) as being their own or having been known as the ‘other parent’ to the child(ren),
E. Participated in emotional, financial, moral and developmental support of the child(ren),
F. Been an active caretaker to the child(ren),
Regardless of whether legal rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples are granted to same-sex couples, families with 2 Moms or 2 Dads have been around for many years now. We owe it to these children to protect their relationships with BOTH parents, especially when the relationship between the parents end due to separation and/or divorce.
As the current laws stand, the non-biological parent has very limited (or in some cases no) legal rights to be involved in these children’s lives, even if they have previously been more involved in the child(ren)’s life than the biological parent. Allowing this to continue can be devastating to both the non-biological parent and the child(ren). In a country that has common laws to cover possessions and effects of non-married heterosexual adults, it is time we focus on our children and enact laws that minimize the negative effects that having same-sex parents can have on these child(ren) which continues to set them apart from ‘traditional’ families.
About.com estimates there are between 6 to 14 million gay households with children. To continue to ignore the importance of BOTH parents in these families is to do a huge disservice to these children. Please change the laws so that the parental rights for ALL of our children are important.
A. Created a nurturing parental bond with the child(ren),
B. Acted in a manner that is consistent with the child(ren)’s best interest,
C. Been actively involved in the child(ren)’s life for a substantial amount of time,
D. Regards the child(ren) as being their own or having been known as the ‘other parent’ to the child(ren),
E. Participated in emotional, financial, moral and developmental support of the child(ren),
F. Been an active caretaker to the child(ren),
Regardless of whether legal rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples are granted to same-sex couples, families with 2 Moms or 2 Dads have been around for many years now. We owe it to these children to protect their relationships with BOTH parents, especially when the relationship between the parents end due to separation and/or divorce.
As the current laws stand, the non-biological parent has very limited (or in some cases no) legal rights to be involved in these children’s lives, even if they have previously been more involved in the child(ren)’s life than the biological parent. Allowing this to continue can be devastating to both the non-biological parent and the child(ren). In a country that has common laws to cover possessions and effects of non-married heterosexual adults, it is time we focus on our children and enact laws that minimize the negative effects that having same-sex parents can have on these child(ren) which continues to set them apart from ‘traditional’ families.
About.com estimates there are between 6 to 14 million gay households with children. To continue to ignore the importance of BOTH parents in these families is to do a huge disservice to these children. Please change the laws so that the parental rights for ALL of our children are important.
Why is this important?
I am currently fighting for the right to be in my daughter's life. Even thought I am not the biological Mother, I have completed a second-parent adoption, but I am still encountering a great deal of resistance and confusion in the interpretation of the laws. I have been 'Mom' to my 9 year old since the day she was born and find it insane that I have very limited parental rights. Please join me in sending a message to lawmakers that ALL parents deserve rights.
Thank you!
Thank you!