ProudParenting.com - Arkansas - Comments

We are all the same!!!!

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:22:06 -0700

I am a lesbian living in a small town of southeast Arkansas. I have been gay as long as I can remember. I have a wonderful partner of 10 years, and have been accepted by our community. Though this life style may not be accepted by all people,it is our life to live! The sadness causing heartache in the world is not because of same sex couples and teir dream of only being treated as equal,it is the people that want to make decisions for us. In case they are not aware, that is considerd passing judgement. One sin is no greater than the other, and we are ALL well aware of our faults. So... Mr. Cox, who are you? What skeletons are in your closet? Have you ever sinned? The answer is yes! You do it everytime you get on T.V. trying to push your values and beliefs on the world by portraying to have all the answers. The truth is that you would rather a child remain in the system and feel unloved until someone decides to addopt them. Or that a child needs a mother and father to be complete as a person. Did you have both parents growing up? Was your father always around? I came from a broken home, were my parents decided not to subject me to their fighting. So I was raised by my mother with as much love as both parents combined. To here your rediculous speechs on banning all gay rights, you would rather a child have no parents than two loving, and stable people that could give a child a wonderful life, even if they are two women! You would rather a child be put into a microwave, or dishwaher, or three children be thrown off a bridge, but hey they had a mom and a dad! People like you are the reason for the sadness and misery in the world, we know who we are. No matter how hard you push for your ban, it only makes us stronger, and you may be able to change the law, but you will never change us! We are a growing community of people who are created equal!!!!!!!!!
Heather Mckinzie

WOW!

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:57:14 -0700

WOW!

Good Luck with the

ljanenp — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:04:24 -0800

Good Luck with the pregnancy. My partner and I have two boys ages 4 years and 8 weeks conceived through donor insemination AND we live in Mississippi! So, I understand. But I have to tell you, we haven't had a single issue (yet) with other kids, parents, teachers, with anyone really. And our sons go to a Baptist Daycare/Preschool. The director, teachers and other parents have been very supportive and really treat us like any other family. We have been pleasantly surprised. It seems that it has to do with just being confident with who you are and not apologetic yet not aggressive about it. As far as your family, my dad was very concerned about me getting pregnant and raising children because of "society". He is the proudest grandfather in the world and now is convinced that these kids will be just fine if not better. My partner's family lives in rural Tennessee. Her mother did not do well with her daughter's sexuality initially. She is also now a proud Nana and tells all her friends about our family, her grandchildren etc. (which are not biologically related to her) When we go to visit, there are loads of presents from all her friends and they all have to come visit while we are there. You would be surprised by what a grandchild can do. Sometimes people just need a gentle push out of their comfort zone. Best wishes!

Couple's adopting

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 09:58:52 -0800

I agree that a married couple may be more stable for a child then a couple who have not decided to make that commitment because if they decided not to be together it might create an un-stable environment for the child. Yet, there are couples who have been together for years and have a very stable relationship and would be perfect for parent hood. Also, I am a Lesbian and I believe that if they pass this measure then the state should allow gay and lesbian couples to marry because they are discriminating against that group of people. There are a huge amount of gay and lesbian couples out there that would love to be joined in wedlock and would make better parents then some straight couples. Being gay and lesbian is not a disease, you can't catch it. There was a time in our history where white people beleived that when they shook the hand of an African American that it was necessary to rub your hand off afterwards as if you can catch black, which is ridiculous, well preventing children from having a loving family and caring, responsible parents, and a good stable life just because your religion says it is wrong for two people of the same sex to sleep together is just as ridiculous and it is almost cruel. Open up your eyes, there are more important things in this world to put your energy and means in to then just focusing on preventing loving human beings, who would make amazing parents, the right to adopt. WAKE UP!

Hold to your guns Randi

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:30:10 -0800

For the law to say she can't adopt her own grandaughter if it were to become nessassary is just down right evil. It's not only gay couples fostering or adopting children out of the welfare system, this law will prevent a man's lesbian sister who lives wiht her partner from taking his children if he and his wife are killed in an accident, even if she is the only family those chlidren have. The religous bigots would rather they go to strangers and be just another case for the over crowded, over worked foster care system. No conideration for the children or the family involved, just their own wish to force their "christian values" down the throats of the rest of the world.

Jag

Amen

MammaMia — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 13:02:53 -0700

I'll sign. The hypocrisy is just too much at times.

Backwoods Arkansas

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 06:05:07 -0700

I would like to see a ban against racist, white trash, toothless, meth-cooking hillbillies being able to be foster parents also! How many signatures do I need to get that on the ballot Mr. M.

California Laws

stephaniec — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:54:01 -0700

While the legislature in California does not specifically address surrogacy, case law does and in California, like Arkansas, the marital status of the surrogate is immaterial and the Intended Parents do not have to adopt their children; they are declared the parents prior to their child's birth. While I didn't know the laws were as favorable as they are in Arkansas, I wanted to clear up any misconceptions about California law.

Further, it's an even better state for lesbian couples who are are registered domestic partners as they do not have to petition the court to have their names placed on the birth certificate. If they are registered, the child is considered a child of their union and no further legal paperwork is needed.

please see Johnson v. Calvert and In Re Marriage of Buzzanca for further information on California surrogacy law.

Feel free to contact me at stephanie@surrogacy-lawyer.com or view my blog at http://surrogacylawyer.blogspot.com/.