ACLU files lawsuit against state of NC to protect rights of gay families

From the ACLU:

“We’ve just filed a new federal case in North Carolina to ensure that kids being raised by lesbian or gay parents can have legally protected relationships with both of the parents who are raising them. North Carolina bans second parent adoption – which is the name for that kind of protection – and the stories of two of our plaintiff families illustrate just how harmful the ban is.

Twenty states clearly authorize second parent adoptions, as does D.C., whereas five states ban them. For many years, family court judges in North Carolina issued second parent adoptions to families where a same-sex couple was raising kids together. In late 2010, however, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that this kind of adoption isn’t allowed in the state, which means that many parents … can’t fully protect their children.

Bringing this case under the federal constitution is a big deal – if we win, the ruling likely would affect other states in addition to North Carolina. Since there are hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples all over the country who are raising kids together, this case could potentially result in protections for all of those families, too.”

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