Rights of the Child

Gay Adoption and
the Rights of the Child
FALL RIVER, MA February 18, 2014 -- In March, 2013, the British paper The Independent ran an article entitled, “Children in gay adoptions at no disadvantage: Research confirms same-sex couples are just as good at parenting as heterosexuals.”

UN Versus Holy See on
Human Sexuality, Gender Theory
Backlash in US
VATICAN, February 6, 2014 -- More than an indictment of the Church’s handling of child sex abuse, the report of the U.N. child rights committee on the Holy See seems meant to pressure the Church to change its teaching on human sexuality.

Kansas Judge:
Sperm Donor Owes Child Support
TOPEKA, KS, January 22, 2014 — A man who provided sperm to a lesbian couple in response to an online ad is the father of a child born to one of the women and must pay child support, a Kansas judge ruled Wednesday.

Remember the Humanity
of Jahi McMath
PHILADELPHIA, PA, January 7, 2014 -- As in the case of Terri Schiavo, people with severe brain injuries are treated like second class citizens, often being denied the treatment, care, and love that their humanity demands. Here is a perspective from Bobby Schindler, brother of Terry Schiavo and Mark Mostert a member of the board of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network.

CA Secretary of State Told to
Count Voter Signatures
SAN FRANCISCO, January 2, 2013 -- Privacy for All Students reported that a Sacramento Superior Court judge, in a strongly worded tentative ruling, directed the California Secretary of State to count petitions submitted in two northern California counties for a referendum effort to nullify AB 1266, California's co-ed bathroom law. The signature gathering campaign to reverse the law had to go to court, because the Secretary of State had refused to count signatures from Tulare and Mono counties.

Belgium Considers
Legalizing Euthanasia for Minors
BRUSSELS, Belgium, December 30, 2013 -- Despite religious opposition, the Belgian Senate voted Dec. 13 in favor of a bill which would expand legal euthanasia to terminally ill minors and persons with dementia.

Petitions Submitted to Overturn AB 1266
The CA Co-Ed Bathroom Law
Pray for a Fair Signature Count
SAN FRANCISCO, December 2, 2013 -- Thanks to efforts of those circulating petitions to reject the so-called California co-ed bathroom law, more than enough signatures to qualify were submitted to county registrars throughout the state. They are currently being counted. The new law, AB 1266, permits elementary and high school students to choose which bathrooms, shower rooms or locker facilities that want to use depending on their “gender identity”.

MTV Explores
Donor Conceived Generation
Fails to Ask Key Question
See Trailer
SAN FRANCISCO, October 16, 2013 -- Does anyone have a right to create a child with the intention of depriving a child of the fundamental human right of knowing and being cared for by his or her father? That is a question that no one seems to be asking. Not only does it violate the rights of the child, it has profound consequences for the future of marriage, i.e. if anyone can create a child through sperm or egg donors, is there a need for marriage between a man and a woman, the only institution geared to united kids with their moms and dads, as a privileged societal institution? While MTV will not be dealing with this question, it is exploring the conflicted situations related to donor conceived children who are searching for part of their identity.

UPDATE: 10/8/2013
Governor Signed into Law
California Bill Promoting
Creation of Fatherless Children
SACRAMENTO, October 8, 2013 -- California Bill AB460, a bill to facilitate lesbians qualifying for insurance coverage when they seek to create children using artificial reproductive technology (ART), has passed both houses of the legislature and has now been signed into law by the Governor. Proponents were able to cover up a major unintended consequence of the bill that the legislators never had a chance to consider and discuss.

CA Bill Promotes Fatherless Children
Infertility Coverage for Lesbians
What About the Children?
SAN FRANCISCO, August 7, 2013 --“Why should the state become complicit in creating more fatherless children when they are at a higher risk of needing state and local government services because they are at greater risk of delinquency, dropping out of high school, becoming involved with gangs, and ending up pregnant as teenagers. Why do this when we know, children from fatherless homes are 3 times more likely to be incarcerated by age 30 than children with a mother and father.” These are the arguments Teresa Greenman of Catholics for the Common Good will be making when she testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday morning in Sacramento.

Massive Sex Trafficking Bust
Applauded by US Lawmaker
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 30, 2013 -- A major U.S. law enforcement operation, which saved over 100 minors from prostitution rings and arrested over 150, drew praise from a congressman known for toughening laws against sex trafficking.

Ammiano: Children’s Rights
“Far Afield” of Gay Rights
SAN FRANCISCO, July 2, 2013--CCG’s testimony got under the skin of the author of California AB460, a bill that is intended to expand the creation of fatherless children specifically for women in same-sex relationships. The bill passed the State Senate Health Committee in a 7 to 2 party-line vote on June 26. AB460 will now go to the Senate Appropriations Committee to look at the bill’s fiscal impact.

Giving the Experience of Fatherhood
KANSAS CITY, July 3, 2013 -- Mike Sweeney of the Kansas City Royals, with his wife Shara, has produced an inspiring video about giving kids who have lost their dads the experience of fatherhood. It is worth spending a few minutes to watch.

Surrogate Pregnancy Bill
In DC Draws Criticism
WASHINGTON DC, June 8, 2013--A lack of information about the dangers of surrogate pregnancy could soon allow the practice to become legal in Washington, D.C., warned the founder of one bioethics organization.