[Murray] really knows her stuff _ and she was determined to
win.” They have equally high praise for udge Ketcharn. Laura
says, “He’s essentially a very kind, fair, intelligent person. Sue
Murray said too that it took a judge with a lot of confidence and
a lot of legal knowledge to have the courage to do it.”

Clearly though, a good deal of the credit belongs to Beth and
Laura themselves. They made an ideal test case. They have been
together for more than ten years and have an extremely stable
relationship. Separate home studies found both of them to be ex-
cellent prospective mothers. Their first parenting experience
came several years ago when they took in a foster child. The
fact that they applied as a couple and were licensed as a foster
family by SRS, which needed them to take care of a severely
handicapped child, proved very helpful when Laura petitioned
to adopt Hannah. They were very open about their relationship
at every stage of the process and with every party to it, including
the adoption agency that placed Hannah with them in the first
place.

Although they have never hidden their relationship, they found
it difficult come out to strangers in the beginning. Beth says, “I
just got on the phone and called agencies. ‘I want to adopt as a
single parent. I’m in a gay relationship. Is that an obstacle?’ And
when I found one that said no, I said, ‘OK. I’ll see you.’ Laura
adds, “I don’t think unless we were very desperate for a child
we would have managed it. We just had a really driving need.”

Beth and Laura sometimes think about adopting a second child
and would be tempted to do it as a couple from the beginning,
although they are aware of the risk. They might be willing to
take that risk now because they are less desperate for a child.
Part of the reason, they would consider it, too, is that their fami-
ly unit is so strongly established it doesn’t make sense to them
to apply on any other basis. Although they acknowledge the re-
ality of homophobia, they nevertheless express some wonder-
ment that something that seems so natural to them should pose
so many difficulties for other people.

The advice they give to other couples who would like to petition
for a second parent adoption is to be open about the relationship
from the beginning, to have a home study done before going to
court, and not to be impatient. The process can seem a whole lot
longer when you’re counting the minutes.

Accidental activists though they may be, one of the things that
means the most to Beth and Laura is the fact that they have won
more than their own private happiness. Laura says, “One thing I
would say about how it felt to be the first is that I’ve never real-
ly been an activist about gay rights because I’ve never really felt
at a disadvantage for being gay. But this just made me really ex-
cited for everybody. It was just such an important big step, and
that’s why it was so exciting. I think I was as excited for the
whole community as I was for myself.” Beth adds, “It felt good
[to be the first]. It made it more than just for us. It makes a dif-
ference to other people. It makes it easier for other people.”

In its essence this first second parent adoption in Vermont is
‘$311)’ Very simple. Beth sums it up, “We were naive enough to
g0 and try it and hope and believe that it was the right thing, and
that people would actually be that open...We were just doing
what was best for Hannah and for us as a family.” V

March 1992

DO YOU WANNA DANCE?
V LESSONS V

When: Saturday, March 14 8: 28
Saturday, April 11 8: 25

Where: Contois Auditorium, Burlington
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Dance Lessons: Foxtrot, Manhattan, Cha Cha,
Contra Dancing, jitterbug, & more!

Ticket Prices: $5 8 for 1 lesson
$14 for 2 lessons
$18 for 3 lessons
$20 for 4 lessons

Buy the series 8* get 20% off your ticket to the
May 16th
OUTRI GH T VERMONT PROM

Tickets for the Dance Lessons can be purchased at the
Peace and Justice Center in Burlington

GAY & LESBIAN
. COUPLES GROIP

Ten sessions for Building and Enhancing
Healthy, Satisfactory Relationships

Beginning Soon
at

PARTNERS IN GROWTH
& RECOVERY, INC
182 Main Street, Burlington
Therapists:

ERICA MARKS, M.A.
GIITA CLARK, M. A.

865-2403

Please Call For More Information