Blog written by CLI Laboratory Director, Michelle Ottey, PhD.
On Wednesday 6/26/13, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. What this means is that same sex couples who are married in a state that has marriage equality will now have federal recognition of their marriage. This is an incredibly important step in the journey to equality for the LGBTQ community and their families.
Because of this ruling, the children of these legally married parents will be protected in the event of the loss of one of their parents. The recognition of their family is also a wonderful affirmation of the relationships and their place as equal citizens and families in this country.
As a Sperm Bank, we have served many lesbian couples who have built their families using Donor Sperm. This ruling is an inspiring move toward having all of those families recognized as equal. The Family Equality council has put together a great list of resources explaining the details of this decision. http://www.familyequality.org/