Out in the Mountains VERMONT'S NEWSPAPER FOR LESBIANS, GAY MEN, AND BISEXUALS Volume X, Number 3 May 1995 W q FREE I A Grave Amendment: Wife and Wife: .1 W39“ Adoption reform shelved for One Couple Fights For The 11 1995 another year (Photo: Bennett Law) Deborah Lashman, who adopted her two sons as a "second parent" Bennett Law MONTPELIER -- The rights of Vermonters to consummate second-parent adoptions has been threatened by recent amendments to the Adoption Reform Bill considered during the 1995 Vermont legislative session. The Adoption Reform Bill, as originally drafted by a legislative "Summer Study Committee," was not objectionable to the common concerns of Vermont's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. It contained language in the provision addressing "who may adopt" to the effect that "a person can adopt another person." The resultant impact of this language was that the favorable June 8, 1993, ruling by the Vermont Supreme Court in the second-parent adoption case brought before the court by Deborah Lashman and Jane van Buren would survive unchallenged (a second—parent adoption is one through which a person may adopt a child without cutting off the rights of an existing parent). The 100+ page Adoption Reform Bill was first contemplated by the Health & Welfare Committee ‘of the Vermont Senate. In an unanticipated move, three members of Health & Welfare, Sen. Judy Bloomer (R-Rutland), Sen. Jim Greenwood (R—Essex-Orleans), and Sen. Leon Graves (D-Franklin), introduced an amendment which imposed restrictions of the rights of individuals to adopt, limiting this privilege to "a husband and wife together, or a person alone." This language eliminates the option of second-parent . adoption, for either heterosexual or homosexual couples. Perhaps in anticipation of future ' Continued on page 9 (Photo: Bennett Law) David Curtis, who testified against the "Graves Amendment" with his adopted son Right To Marry Mathew Viens SOUTH BURLINGTON -- Two young boys play in the snow outside their South Burlington home. Two parents begin their weekend with chores around the house. By all appearances this is a typical Ver- mont family. The boys playing as brothers are Ian Rivers and Joel McMahon, and the parents inside are Pasha and Penny Rivers—McMahon. Together, this lesbian couple is fighting for the right to call each oth- er wife and wife, their sons brothers, and their house- hold a family. After having surprisingly received a marriage license from the South Burlington City Clerk’s office, the couple enjoyed what Pasha terms, “fifteen minutes of sheer bliss.” “I expected them to say no, but they didn’t we got it, and we were both acting like school girls,” she adds. Even though the clerk phoned within hours to explain how an unfortunate mistake had been made, and requested that the license be re- turned, the couple went ahead with their wedding plans. A ceremony, complete with white gown and wedding cake, was celebrated in September. Issues such as the right for gays and lesbians to serve in our nation’s military and the extension of benefits to sarne-sex domestic partners have been widely pub- licized over the past couple of years, but the legal- ization of sarne—sex marriages has not received as much attention. That does not, however, mean that this issue is any less controversial. Among hetero- sexuals and homosexuals alike, lesbian and gay mar- riage is one tough issue. This is a fact which the Riv- ers—McMahons are all too aware of. “It didn’t matter if we got the license, we were going to get married ei- ther way -— it was very important for Penny and me,” Pasha explains. This enthusiasm toward marriage is not always shared among lesbians and gays. In fact, Deborah Dudley, a member of the board of directors of the Vermont Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, says that she is very concerned that the debate over sarne-sex marriage will divide the homosexual community: “We are worried that a good queer, bad queer issue will develop out of this. We want to pro- tect those who choose to marry as well as those who choose not to.” When confronted with the often-argued opinion that homosexuals seeking to be married are simply at- (Photo courtesy of the Rivers—McMahons) Pasha and Penny Rivers—McMahon tempting to imitate heterosexual traditions and social values, Pasha passionately retorts, “It’s not a valid ar- gument. After years of hearing society tell us that we can’t have these relationships we believe it. We tell it to ourselves. We need to break the chain, and say that we’re worth it. Homosexual society suffers from low self-esteem. In my heart of hearts, I believe this is how we can build our self-esteem.” While the Rivers—McMahons have decided that mar- riage is the only route for them, they do not claim that marriage is necessary for all homosexual couples. They just want the right to be legally married es- tablished, and for homosexuals to understand that marriage is not something reserved solely for hetero- sexuals. Even so, they are the‘ first to admit that sarne— sex marriage involves more than self-esteem for gays. Issues of taxes, health, and pension benefits are Continued on page 5