COLAGE News Blog

COLAGE Baltimore Bowling Party Aug 31 07

COLAGE Baltimore Bowling Party!
Bowling and community for children, youth and adults with LGBT parents and their families.
Saturday, September 8th.
4 pm
Brunswick Zone - Normandy
8419 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21043

Please RSVP by Friday September 7th so we can reserve enough lanes.
RSVP or get more information.

COLAGE Oahu Event this Weekend Aug 31 07

COLAGE O'ahu Gathering
12:30 pm
Saturday, September 1st
Meet at the Hawai'i State Art Museum for a tour.
Afterward walk the lightly traveled (Saturday) streets of downtown, possibly over to Chinatown, if families are interested in that and with the understanding that we will 'keep it cool' by sticking to the shady sides of the streets.

We will gather in the museum cafe,
250 S. Hotel St., ground floor, 808.636.5900
The exhibit tour is free.

Parking should not be a problem, but don't hesitate to contact me if you need suggestions for parking or about anything else.
For more information contact oahu@colage.org.

Court Victory in Maine Custody Case Aug 30 07

COLAGE is pleased to announce that today, Maine's highest court, the Law Court, issued a ruling allowing a lesbian couple to jointly adopt two siblings currently in foster care.

The unanimous ruling opens the door in Maine for other co-parent adoptions by same-sex couples.

The case began in 2001 when children were removed from their home after their biological parents were no longer able to care for them.

The children were placed with Ann Courtney, an attorney, and Marilyn Kirby, a counselor.

The children, identified in court documents only as M who is now 10 and R who is six, had multiple emotional, learning, and developmental problems.

The couple applied to adopt M and R in 2002, and filed adoption petitions in Cumberland County Probate Court in May 2006.

The judge denied their petition, interpreting current Maine adoption law to allow only one unmarried person or a married couple to adopt.

While either of the women could have adopted the children the couple decided they wanted the children to be adopted jointly and appealed.

The appeal reached the Law Court last September and was officially considered in February 2007.

"A joint adoption assures that in the event of either adoptive parent's death, the children's continued relationship with the surviving parent is fixed and certain," the Court said in its
written decision. "A joint adoption also enables the children to be eligible for a variety of public and private benefits…Most importantly, a joint adoption affords the adopted children the love, nurturing, and support of not one, but two parents."

"We're ecstatic," said Courtney. "We love these kids, and their well-being means everything to us. Our daughter and son can now know that we are a family, and we'll always be a family."

COLAGE celebrates the leadership of GLAD who represented the couple in this case and with this case continue to effectively advocate for the rights of the LGBT community in New England.

COLAGE Applauds Historic Iowa District Court Decision Aug 30 07

(Des Moines, IA, August 30, 2007) ---- A 63 page decision issued today by the Iowa District Court for Polk County said that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry based on the Iowa Constitution's guarantee of equal treatment under the law. The case was filed by Lambda Legal on behalf of six same-sex couples and their families in Iowa.

COLAGE and our members intimately know that validation and recognition of our families through equal access to the rights and responsibilities awarded through marriage will help make the world safer and more just for all children and families.

"This is a significant step forward in recognizing the constitutional rights of all Iowans, and it's an amazing day for same-sex couples and their families all across Iowa," said Dennis Johnson of Dorsey and Whitney, co-counsel for the Plaintiffs with Lambda Legal.

In his decision, Judge Robert B. Hanson said, "Couples, such as Plaintiffs, who are otherwise qualified to marry one another may not be denied licenses to marry or certificates of marriage or in any other way prevented from entering into a civil marriage pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 595 by reason of the fact that both persons compromising such a couple are of the same sex."

COLAGE Program Director, Meredith Fenton commented, "COLAGE applauds Judge Hanson for affirming what those of us with LGBT parents already know: children and families will thrive when they are equally recognized and protected by law. As someone who grew up in the Midwest who has a lesbian mother, I am particularly pleased to see this advancement in the state of Iowa."

In December 2005, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit with the Polk County Court on behalf of six same-sex couples who were denied marriage licenses in Iowa, arguing that denying marriage to same-sex couples violates the equal protection and due process guarantees in the Iowa Constitution, and prevents these couples from taking care of each other and their children. Today's decision comes after a hearing in May of this year where both sides made arguments before the court.

The case is Varnum v. Brien. This case now moves forward, and the Iowa Supreme Court will ultimately have the final decision. Learn more about this case.

If you are a youth or adult with LGBT parents who lives in Iowa and might be willing to share your story with the media or courts, please contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director.

Speak OUT to Just For Us Aug 14 07

Be in the next issue of Just For Us- JFU is the only publication dedicated to the words, thoughts, opinions, and experiences of people with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender parents - and we want to hear from YOU. The next issue of Just For Us is going to look at issue connected to coming out. Some of us tell everyone that we have LGBT parents. Others tell just a few close friends. We have had good and bad experiences coming out, and sometimes even hilarious ones. The possibilities are endless and we want to talk about it!

We are looking for youth and young adults ages 6-16 to answer the following questions for the Speak Out section of Just For Us:

QUESTION: When and how do you come out about your family and/or parents to your friends? What was one of the best, hardest or funniest coming out experiences you have had? What advice do you have for other COLAGErs who want to come out about their families?

You need to submit your answers by August 17th, 2007 in order to be included in Just For Us. Your answer should be 1-3 sentences long. Send your answers to jfu and put Speak Out in the subject line.

Please send your Speak Out! responses to JFU

With it tell us your:

NAME:

AGE:

City and state that you live in:

Let us know if you have any questions! Thanks for speaking out on this issue and sharing your thoughts with other kids with LGBT parents!

COLAGE on You Tube Aug 14 07

COLAGE is pleased to announce that we have joined the You Tube revolution by creating a COLAGE channel to share videos with members and the broader public. Our first set of videos were created during Family Week in Provincetown, MA. Participants in our middle school and high school programs learned about electoral politics. and then created videos posing questions to the candidates for the 2008 presidential election as part of the CNN You Tube Debates.

Check out the COLAGE You Tube Channel!

Two Days Left to Take our Survey Aug 8 07

You have two days left to participate in COLAGE’s strategic planning process. As we work to strengthen our programs, we need your help. By completing this 20 minute survey, you will help COLAGE better understand how we may improve our programs and resources for you.

Please follow the link below or paste it into your Internet browser.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=U_2bmDLvgp14stw9hviCDktg_3d_3d

There are no right or wrong answers! This survey is a special opportunity for you to let us know what you think about our work. No matter how you have been involved we value the insights you can bring to this process.

The goal of the survey is for us to listen and for you to share your visions and ideas for the future direction of COLAGE. Your suggestions and input will play a significant role in informing our strategic plan and helping to shape our future. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a raffle to win an IPOD shuffle!

Please take this survey- YOUR input is important to us. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at number below.

Your last day to complete the survey is this FRIDAY, August 10th! So Tell us what you think today!