Luxembourg opens adoption to unmarried couples

Montana judge slaps down bathroom bill as anti-LGBT bills advance across red states

Poster from Ireland’s same-sex marriage referendum outside a pub in Dublin, May 2015. (Photo by me)

Luxembourg: The grand duchy passed a major reform of its adoption law, opening adoption to same-sex couples, singles, cohabiting couples, and those in registered partnerships. Contrary to this report, I’m pretty sure married same-sex couples have been able to adopt since marriage became legal in 2015.

Ireland: LGBT rights activists are pushing the government to finally bring in effective parenting equality for same-sex couples, ten years after same-sex marriage and adoption became legal by referendum. Currently, same-sex couples can struggle with getting their children registered to both parents, and establishing practical things like inheritance and citizenship.

Poland: An EU advocate general has issued an advisory opinion that Poland must recognize same-sex couples married in other EU states as no other alternative exists in Polish law, in what is being seen as a potential preview of an upcoming European Court of Justice ruling on the matter. Poland is currently in the process of debating a civil union law, which has been put aside until after May presidential elections.

Australia: The state of Victoria passed a new, LGBT-inclusive hate speech law that strongly increases penalties for vilification. The bill also includes language that would prevent it being used for mischief or against their intended purpose, by requiring consideration of the social and historical context in any civil or criminal proceeding.

Meanwhile, in the States

The Trump administration has killed $125 million in funding for LGBTQ health research, which may have a lasting impact on education and knowledge in the field.

Montana: A judge has temporarily blocked the state’s recently passed “bathroom bill” from going into effect, pending trial, which the judge says the trans plaintiffs are likely to prevail on.

Arkansas: Fresh off the state senate rejecting a bill that would bar the state from requiring prospective foster parents to support LGBTQ children, house Republicans are trying to pass a new “religious freedom” bill that would bar the state from requiring employees to recognize same-sex marriage or trans people. The bill also provides legal cover to anyone wishing to discriminate against LGBTQ people in a variety of circumstances.

Georgia: The state legislature passed its own “religious freedom” bill over objections from Democrats who billed it as a right to discriminate. Importantly, the bill does not include any of the Arkansas language specifically authorizing discrimination against LGBT people, so it’s unclear how this will actually shake out in practice. The governor has said he’ll sign it.

Iowa: A bill to bar the state from requiring foster parents to support a child’s LGBTQ identity advanced out of a house committee Wednesday.

Alabama: Republicans have introduced bills that would expand the current ban on classroom discussions about LGBTQ topics from K-5 to cover all schools from pre-K to 12 and ban teachers from referring to trans students by their preferred pronouns. Neither has been scheduled for a vote, though they had hearings on Wednesday.