Lesbian Mom's Visitation Battle Returns To Court

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/02/020805visitation.htm

A lesbian mother who was denied visitation with her child after she broke up with the child's birth mother returned to court today in Philadelphia.

Represented by Lambda Legal the woman argues that a lower court was wrong to deny her visitation with the child.

"Decades of well established law in Pennsylvania make it clear that visitation shouldn't be denied just because one parent alienated the child from the other parent. This case shouldn't be decided any differently simply because the child's parents are lesbians," said Alphonso David, Staff Attorney at Lambda Legal who will argue the case.

[Rowdyboy]

1. What an evil, evil, foul woman

To systematically alientate a 3 year old from another woman who had acted as a mother to her from birth-to do that over a nine year period is sick. The "birth" mother obviously has some erious issues she needs to deal with.

[Technowitch]

2. This, however, is also what happens to us when we're not allowed to marry

The fundie wingnuts don't want same-sex families to exist -- and so deny us the means to certify the relationship under the law.

Let me put this in other terms... If the couple had been hetero, with no civil marriage of any kind, and the child 'belonged' to only one of the members, the other would in fact be little more than a 'roommate' to the child and actual birth-parent. That unrelated adult would have no legal right to demand to see that child, no matter how much like a 'parent' he or she had been.

Don't get me wrong, I truly do think the birth-mother in this case is being really nasty... but maybe she has her reasons to want to deny contact? We don't know the details.

My point though is that this mess -- which harms EVERYONE involved -- is yet another argument in favor of civil marriage for same-sex couples.

[Maat]

3. This law student agrees with you, Technowitch.

(And I was a social worker before that.)

She is taking advantage of the law; and you are right, we don't what motivates her - sheer hate or a parenting concern.

It shouldn't happen this way, however, and the full rights and benefits of the marriage civil contract.

And when gay parents and gay adoptive parents are disrespected, it makes this adoptive parent concerned period.