Families at the DC Center tag:www.thedccenter.org,2009-10-30:/blog//1 2013-05-17T18:16:03Z Movable Type 4.32-en Fertility Options for the LGBT Community tag:www.thedccenter.org,2013:/blog//1.3088 2013-03-20T16:34:10Z 2013-04-03T18:26:32Z UPDATE: This event has been reschedule for some time in April. We will update this blog post to reflect the new date when the new date is announced. Grubb's NW Specialty Pharmacy 1517 17th St NW, Washington, DC 20036 (located two blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro) Presenters include : Gilbert L. Mottla, MD from Shady Grove Fertility Center Dr. Mottla has been recently recognized by the Washingtonian Magazine and the Annapolis City Magazine, top doctor's edition in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Mottla sees and consults with patients who need care in all areas of both Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology. His particular area of special interest is the evaluation and care of couples utilizing gestational surrogacy and egg donation. Topics will include : Parenting Through Gestational Surrogacy and Egg Donation For more information, or to RSVP, please call Emily or Daphne at 202.503.2644 FREE event! Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited! Front Desk grubbs032013.jpg
UPDATE: This event has been reschedule for some time in April. We will update this blog post to reflect the new date when the new date is announced.

Grubb's NW Specialty Pharmacy 1517 17th St NW, Washington, DC 20036 (located two blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro)

Presenters include :
Gilbert L. Mottla, MD from Shady Grove Fertility Center
Dr. Mottla has been recently recognized by the Washingtonian Magazine and the Annapolis City Magazine, top doctor's edition in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Mottla sees and consults with patients who need care in all areas of both Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology. His particular area of special interest is the evaluation and care of couples utilizing gestational surrogacy and egg donation.

Topics will include :
Parenting Through Gestational Surrogacy and Egg Donation

For more information, or to RSVP, please call Emily or Daphne at 202.503.2644

FREE event! Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited!

]]> Foster Parent Informational Night tag:www.thedccenter.org,2013:/blog//1.3059 2013-03-08T03:12:45Z 2013-03-08T17:56:39Z Have you thought about becoming a foster parent? Want to learn more? This is the perfect opportunity to learn about foster parenting and get your questions answered. Join us for Foster Parent Information Night. You'll meet folks who are currently foster parents, as well as individuals who have recently completed the foster parenting application process. You'll also hear from the Latin American Youth Center about the many ways you can get involved which include: Fostering a child or youth in the child welfare system Hosting a runaway or homeless youth ages 12-17 for a period of 21 days Providing a Transitional Living Home for a runaway or homeless youth ages 16-22 for up to 18 months and Spreading awareness about the services provided through all of our Child Placement Programs You'll also meet folks who are currently foster parents, as well as individuals who have recently completed the foster parenting application process. You'll hear from the Latin American Youth Center about how you can become a foster parent. Tuesday, May 7th at 6:00 PM at the DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street. RSVP on facebook for the event here. We will have a special focus on being a foster parent for older, LGBT youth. LGBT youth need foster parents, and you can help! The DC Center and the Latin American Youth Center are proud to host this event in support of National Foster Care Month. Find out more about National Foster Care Month at www.fostercaremonth.org. Front Desk fosterparent.jpg

Have you thought about becoming a foster parent? Want to learn more? This is the perfect opportunity to learn about foster parenting and get your questions answered. Join us for Foster Parent Information Night.

You'll meet folks who are currently foster parents, as well as individuals who have recently completed the foster parenting application process.

You'll also hear from the Latin American Youth Center about the many ways you can get involved which include:


  • Fostering a child or youth in the child welfare system

  • Hosting a runaway or homeless youth ages 12-17 for a period of 21 days

  • Providing a Transitional Living Home for a runaway or homeless youth ages 16-22 for up to 18 months and

  • Spreading awareness about the services provided through all of our Child Placement Programs

You'll also meet folks who are currently foster parents, as well as individuals who have recently completed the foster parenting application process. You'll hear from the Latin American Youth Center about how you can become a foster parent.

Tuesday, May 7th at 6:00 PM at the DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street.

RSVP on facebook for the event here.

We will have a special focus on being a foster parent for older, LGBT youth. LGBT youth need foster parents, and you can help! The DC Center and the Latin American Youth Center are proud to host this event in support of National Foster Care Month. Find out more about National Foster Care Month at www.fostercaremonth.org.

]]> Save the Date: How To Become a CASA tag:www.thedccenter.org,2013:/blog//1.2989 2013-02-05T21:56:12Z 2013-03-22T20:43:31Z There are many LGBT youth in the foster care system in the DC area that need your help. A CASA is a Court Appointed Special Advocate to children in the DC foster care system. There are over 2,000 cases of child abuse and neglect in the DC Family Court system. It is the goal of CASA for Children of DC to recruit and train a volunteer advocate to serve every one of these children. Join The DC Center and CASA DC in this informational session on how to become a CASA. This event will be held on Tuesday, March 26th from 6PM-7 PM at The DC Center (1318 U Street, NW). Some of the duties of a CASA are: appearing at court hearings to make recommendations to the Court, continuing contacts with child, family, social workers and others to monitor court orders and overall being a great mentor to the child. We desperately need our community to step up to the plate and be there for our youth in the system. RSVP for How to Become a CASA here. Front Desk CASA.gif

There are many LGBT youth in the foster care system in the DC area that need your help. A CASA is a Court Appointed Special Advocate to children in the DC foster care system. There are over 2,000 cases of child abuse and neglect in the DC Family Court system. It is the goal of CASA for Children of DC to recruit and train a volunteer advocate to serve every one of these children.

Join The DC Center and CASA DC in this informational session on how to become a CASA. This event will be held on Tuesday, March 26th from 6PM-7 PM at The DC Center (1318 U Street, NW).

Some of the duties of a CASA are: appearing at court hearings to make recommendations to the Court, continuing contacts with child, family, social workers and others to monitor court orders and overall being a great mentor to the child. We desperately need our community to step up to the plate and be there for our youth in the system.

RSVP for How to Become a CASA here.


]]> Annual Rainbow Families Dance tag:www.thedccenter.org,2013:/blog//1.2985 2013-02-05T04:00:24Z 2013-02-05T04:35:38Z The annual Rainbow Families dance will take place Sat, March 2nd from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Washington Ethical Society, 7750 16th Street, NW. It's especially great for those over 4 years old, though there is a quiet room for younger children and their parents, so don't feel left out! Rainbow a family friendly DJ for the dance, plus have games and activities. Pizza dinner and desserts are included in the cost. Join Rainbow Families for this very fun event. Adult Members (18+) - $ 10 Adult Non-Member (18+) - $ 13 Child (5 and up) - $ 5 Child (4 and under) - FREE To register, please click here: Dance Registration Form 2013 If you have any questions about the dance or registration, please feel free to contact Jen Riesch at info@rainbowfamiliesdc.org. The DC Center rainbowfamilies.jpgThe annual Rainbow Families dance will take place Sat, March 2nd from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM at the Washington Ethical Society, 7750 16th Street, NW. It's especially great for those over 4 years old, though there is a quiet room for younger children and their parents, so don't feel left out! Rainbow a family friendly DJ for the dance, plus have games and activities. Pizza dinner and desserts are included in the cost. Join Rainbow Families for this very fun event.

Adult Members (18+) - $ 10
Adult Non-Member (18+) - $ 13
Child (5 and up) - $ 5
Child (4 and under) - FREE

To register, please click here: Dance Registration Form 2013

If you have any questions about the dance or registration, please feel free to contact Jen Riesch at info@rainbowfamiliesdc.org.

]]> Children of Same-Gender Parents May Be Less Constrained by Traditional Gender Stereotypes tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2831 2012-11-12T06:31:14Z 2012-11-12T06:34:16Z A study of young children of first-time adoptive parents found that the children of same-gender parents were less gender stereotyped in their play behavior than the children of heterosexual parents, which may translate to strengths that aid them later in life, according to new research funded by the Williams Institute. "How parents play, and what kind of toys they let their kids play with, can affect child development -- even at 18 months," said Abbie E. Goldberg, Associate Professor of psychology at Clark University. "Research shows that some flexibility in play-type has psychological benefits for children." The study found that sons of lesbian mothers engaged in slightly more nurturing-type play behavior than sons of gay fathers and heterosexual parents. The researchers suggest that two-mother households, like single-mother households, may develop slightly different play styles. The study also found that daughters of gay fathers were more stereotypically-feminine in play behavior than daughters of lesbian mothers and less stereotypically-feminine in play behavior than daughters of heterosexual mothers. The study, entitled "Gender-Typed Play Behavior in Early Childhood: Adopted Children with Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Parents" is in the upcoming issue of Sex Roles: A Journal of Research. Full report, click here. Press release, click here. The DC Center children.jpgA study of young children of first-time adoptive parents found that the children of same-gender parents were less gender stereotyped in their play behavior than the children of heterosexual parents, which may translate to strengths that aid them later in life, according to new research funded by the Williams Institute.

"How parents play, and what kind of toys they let their kids play with, can affect child development -- even at 18 months," said Abbie E. Goldberg, Associate Professor of psychology at Clark University. "Research shows that some flexibility in play-type has psychological benefits for children."

The study found that sons of lesbian mothers engaged in slightly more nurturing-type play behavior than sons of gay fathers and heterosexual parents. The researchers suggest that two-mother households, like single-mother households, may develop slightly different play styles. The study also found that daughters of gay fathers were more stereotypically-feminine in play behavior than daughters of lesbian mothers and less stereotypically-feminine in play behavior than daughters of heterosexual mothers.

The study, entitled "Gender-Typed Play Behavior in Early Childhood: Adopted Children with Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Parents" is in the upcoming issue of Sex Roles: A Journal of Research.

Full report, click here.
Press release, click here.

]]> Teens with Lesbian Mothers are Academically Succesful and Happy tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2830 2012-11-12T05:58:39Z 2012-11-24T21:49:33Z Teens with lesbian mothers are academically successful and happy with their lives, according to a new report from the U. S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study, announced today by the Williams Institute. The 17-year-olds participating in the longest-running study of lesbian families had high school GPAs in the A- to B+ range, and nearly all planned to attend four-year colleges. These adolescents had strong family bonds, and they were nearly unanimous in describing their mothers as good role models. They also reported having numerous close friends--generally with same-age peers who were predominantly heterosexual. Most of the teens felt comfortable bringing friends home, informing friends about their mothers' lesbianism and confiding in their mothers. "We have been following these families for 26 years," said Principal Investigator Nanette Gartrell, MD, distinguished visiting scholar at the Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. "These kids were planned and their lesbian mothers were very engaged in parenting. At the end of high school, the teens tell us that they have excellent grades, feel connected to their families and friends, and admire their parents. As a psychiatrist, I can say that these are the types of childrearing outcomes that every parent hopes for." In the study, "Adolescents with Lesbian Mothers Describe Their Own Lives," the teenagers were asked a series of questions about their everyday life experiences including academics, extracurricular activities, aspirations, friendships, family interactions, role models, health problems and wellbeing. Notably, almost all of the 78 adolescents described their mothers as good role models. "They teach me to be accepting of all people on this earth, no matter what differences they may have," wrote one of 38 adolescent boys. One of 38 teenage girls described her mothers as "very successful, powerful, beautiful women who are happy with their lives and I would love to end up like them." Prior studies on the same group of teenagers found that they demonstrated more competencies and fewer behavioral problems than an age-matched normative sample of American youth; although some adolescents with lesbian mothers had experienced homophobic stigmatization, family closeness helped counteract its negative effects. The 78 adolescents in the current report were drawn from families that are participating in the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS), the longest-running and largest prospective investigation of lesbian mothers and their children in the United States. Initiated by Dr. Gartrell in 1986, the NLLFS examines the social, psychological and emotional development of the children as well as the dynamics of planned lesbian families. The current study was conducted by Nanette Gartrell, MD (Williams Institute Visiting Distinguished Scholar, UCLA School of Law; University of Amsterdam;), Henny M.W. Bos, PhD (University of Amsterdam; Williams Institute Visiting International Scholar, 2012), Heidi Peyser, MA., Amalia Deck, MSN, and Carla Rodas, MPH and appears in the current issue of the Journal of Homosexuality. Full report, click here. Press release, click here. The DC Center teens.jpgTeens with lesbian mothers are academically successful and happy with their lives, according to a new report from the U. S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study, announced today by the Williams Institute.

The 17-year-olds participating in the longest-running study of lesbian families had high school GPAs in the A- to B+ range, and nearly all planned to attend four-year colleges. These adolescents had strong family bonds, and they were nearly unanimous in describing their mothers as good role models. They also reported having numerous close friends--generally with same-age peers who were predominantly heterosexual. Most of the teens felt comfortable bringing friends home, informing friends about their mothers' lesbianism and confiding in their mothers.

"We have been following these families for 26 years," said Principal Investigator Nanette Gartrell, MD, distinguished visiting scholar at the Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. "These kids were planned and their lesbian mothers were very engaged in parenting. At the end of high school, the teens tell us that they have excellent grades, feel connected to their families and friends, and admire their parents. As a psychiatrist, I can say that these are the types of childrearing outcomes that every parent hopes for."

In the study, "Adolescents with Lesbian Mothers Describe Their Own Lives," the teenagers were asked a series of questions about their everyday life experiences including academics, extracurricular activities, aspirations, friendships, family interactions, role models, health problems and wellbeing.

Notably, almost all of the 78 adolescents described their mothers as good role models. "They teach me to be accepting of all people on this earth, no matter what differences they may have," wrote one of 38 adolescent boys. One of 38 teenage girls described her mothers as "very successful, powerful, beautiful women who are happy with their lives and I would love to end up like them."

Prior studies on the same group of teenagers found that they demonstrated more competencies and fewer behavioral problems than an age-matched normative sample of American youth; although some adolescents with lesbian mothers had experienced homophobic stigmatization, family closeness helped counteract its negative effects.

The 78 adolescents in the current report were drawn from families that are participating in the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS), the longest-running and largest prospective investigation of lesbian mothers and their children in the United States. Initiated by Dr. Gartrell in 1986, the NLLFS examines the social, psychological and emotional development of the children as well as the dynamics of planned lesbian families.

The current study was conducted by Nanette Gartrell, MD (Williams Institute Visiting Distinguished Scholar, UCLA School of Law; University of Amsterdam;), Henny M.W. Bos, PhD (University of Amsterdam; Williams Institute Visiting International Scholar, 2012), Heidi Peyser, MA., Amalia Deck, MSN, and Carla Rodas, MPH and appears in the current issue of the Journal of Homosexuality.

Full report, click here.

Press release, click here.

]]> Justin B. Terry-Smith Talks About Foster Parenting tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2807 2012-11-01T06:26:04Z 2012-11-01T06:40:08Z Local activist and blogger Justin B. Terry Smith is sharing his experience as a foster parent. He and his partner are foster parents of an LGBT teenager. Justin writes on his blog "Back in 2006 I was diagnosed with HIV and I cried about it at first. People of course think when they are being diagnosed with HIV is that their first thought is that they are going to die, NOT I. I very first thought that made me cry was that I wasn't going to be able to have any children. At the time I didn't know about sperm cleansing at all. I felt like I was damaged goods and I thought I would never have the feeling of being a good father. With the feelings that came with my HIV diagnosis, also went the feelings that I would ever hear anyone call me Dad. After my diagnosis the idea of being a father just went away because I didn't feel like I could ever do it while being HIV positive." Follow Justin's story about being a foster parent on his blog, Justin's HIV Journal. The DC Center justin.jpgLocal activist and blogger Justin B. Terry Smith is sharing his experience as a foster parent. He and his partner are foster parents of an LGBT teenager.

Justin writes on his blog "Back in 2006 I was diagnosed with HIV and I cried about it at first. People of course think when they are being diagnosed with HIV is that their first thought is that they are going to die, NOT I. I very first thought that made me cry was that I wasn't going to be able to have any children. At the time I didn't know about sperm cleansing at all. I felt like I was damaged goods and I thought I would never have the feeling of being a good father. With the feelings that came with my HIV diagnosis, also went the feelings that I would ever hear anyone call me Dad. After my diagnosis the idea of being a father just went away because I didn't feel like I could ever do it while being HIV positive."

Follow Justin's story about being a foster parent on his blog, Justin's HIV Journal.

]]> Rainbow Families DC Pumpkin Madness tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2798 2012-10-30T19:36:48Z 2012-10-30T19:49:17Z Join Rainbow Families DC and invite your friends to come for a fall day together for our 5th Annual event at Cox Farms in Centreville, VA on Sunday November 4th. We are working with Cox Farms to get a reduced admission price for Rainbow Families DC members and once on the farm grounds your admission is good for the whole day. Cox Farm is wonderful place for prospective families and families with kids of all ages! There is live music, good food, slides for little and big kids, pumpkin smashing, and farm animals - even baby animals. Giant pumpkins are dropped, hurled, and squashed all day and at 4 pm a giant several hundred pound pumpkin is dropped from a crane. Bring your own picnic lunch or enjoy the food offered at the farm. Rainbow Families will set up a gathering space starting at 10 am. We will be seeking volunteers to help with our table. More details on cost, how to RSVP and how sign up to volunteer for this event to be emailed and posted soon! For more information about Cox Farms and this special day see the Cox Farm website or contact Renee Bradley at bradley_black@verizon.net. The DC Center pumpkinfest.jpgJoin Rainbow Families DC and invite your friends to come for a fall day together for our 5th Annual event at Cox Farms in Centreville, VA on Sunday November 4th. We are working with Cox Farms to get a reduced admission price for Rainbow Families DC members and once on the farm grounds your admission is good for the whole day.

Cox Farm is wonderful place for prospective families and families with kids of all ages! There is live music, good food, slides for little and big kids, pumpkin smashing, and farm animals - even baby animals. Giant pumpkins are dropped, hurled, and squashed all day and at 4 pm a giant several hundred pound pumpkin is dropped from a crane.

Bring your own picnic lunch or enjoy the food offered at the farm. Rainbow Families will set up a gathering space starting at 10 am. We will be seeking volunteers to help with our table.

More details on cost, how to RSVP and how sign up to volunteer for this event to be emailed and posted soon! For more information about Cox Farms and this special day see the Cox Farm website or contact Renee Bradley at bradley_black@verizon.net.

]]> Children's Adjustment to Adoption: Three Decades of Clinical Practice and Research tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2777 2012-10-15T20:25:31Z 2012-10-15T21:05:26Z In honor of National Adoption Month, C.A.S.E. is pleased to invite you to a professional training: Children's Adjustment to Adoption: Three Decades of Clinical Practice and Research. Presented by Dr. David Brodzinsky, one of the most highly regarded researchers, educators and authors in the field of adoption and foster care. When: Friday, November 16, 2012 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 9:00 - 9:30 a.m.- Registration and coffee/refreshments Where: Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church 9601 Cedar Lane Bethesda, Maryland Who should attend: Adoption and child welfare professionals, social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health professionals who are interested in enhancing their knowledge and skills in working with adoptive families. Fee: $50 for advance registration. Includes 3 CEUs - approved for Maryland licensed social workers and professional counselors** Group discounts available. Please inquire. There will be an additional $15 fee for registration after Tuesday, 11/12/12. **Please note: CEU certificates will be distributed ONLY at the conclusion of the workshop. Program Summary: Research has suggested that adopted children are more vulnerable to a host of psychological and school related problems in comparison to their non-adopted peers. Furthermore, the rate of referral for adopted children to mental health settings is higher than the general population of children and teens. Dr. Brodzinksy will explore issues that affect both the process and outcomes surrounding adopted children and their parents, focusing on the developmental and clinical issues in children's adjustment to adoption. He will also discuss the historical and contemporary perspectives integrating key theories that address the issue of psychological risk associated with adopted children. Participants will learn assessment and intervention strategies for integration in clinical and child welfare practices. Dr. Brodzinsky has been a consultant to numerous public and private adoption agencies. He has conducted workshops and seminars on adoption and foster care for mental health professionals, child welfare and adoption professionals, and the lay public throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Dr. Brodzinsky has published extensively on the psychology of adoption in professional journals and is the co-author or co-editor of five books on adoption, including:The Psychology of Adoption (1990); Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self (1992); Children's Adjustment to Adoption: Developmental and Clinical Issues (1998); Adoption and Prenatal Drug Exposure: Research, Policy, and Practice (2000), and Psychological Issues in Adoption: Research and Practice (2005). For online registration, click here. If you are registering for CEUs, please remember to include your occupation and license number when checking out. To mail your registration, please download the registration form and send it with your payment to: C.A.S.E, 4000 Blackburn Lane, Suite 260, Burtonsville, MD 20866, or fax the form to 301-476-8526. To register by phone or for more information, please contact Sumantha Halder at (301) 476-8525 or halder@adoptionsupport.org. Front Desk CASE150x150.jpgIn honor of National Adoption Month, C.A.S.E. is pleased to invite you to a professional training: Children's Adjustment to Adoption: Three Decades of Clinical Practice and Research. Presented by Dr. David Brodzinsky, one of the most highly regarded researchers, educators and authors in the field of adoption and foster care.

When:
Friday, November 16, 2012
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.- Registration and coffee/refreshments

Where:
Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
9601 Cedar Lane
Bethesda, Maryland

Who should attend:
Adoption and child welfare professionals, social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health professionals who are interested in enhancing their knowledge and skills in working with adoptive families.

Fee:
$50 for advance registration. Includes 3 CEUs - approved for Maryland licensed social workers and professional counselors**
Group discounts available. Please inquire.

There will be an additional $15 fee for registration after Tuesday, 11/12/12.
**Please note: CEU certificates will be distributed ONLY at the conclusion of the workshop.

Program Summary:
Research has suggested that adopted children are more vulnerable to a host of psychological and school related problems in comparison to their non-adopted peers. Furthermore, the rate of referral for adopted children to mental health settings is higher than the general population of children and teens. Dr. Brodzinksy will explore issues that affect both the process and outcomes surrounding adopted children and their parents, focusing on the developmental and clinical issues in children's adjustment to adoption. He will also discuss the historical and contemporary perspectives integrating key theories that address the issue of psychological risk associated with adopted children. Participants will learn assessment and intervention strategies for integration in clinical and child welfare practices.

Dr. Brodzinsky has been a consultant to numerous public and private adoption agencies. He has conducted workshops and seminars on adoption and foster care for mental health professionals, child welfare and adoption professionals, and the lay public throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Dr. Brodzinsky has published extensively on the psychology of adoption in professional journals and is the co-author or co-editor of five books on adoption, including:The Psychology of Adoption (1990); Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self (1992); Children's Adjustment to Adoption: Developmental and Clinical Issues (1998); Adoption and Prenatal Drug Exposure: Research, Policy, and Practice (2000), and Psychological Issues in Adoption: Research and Practice (2005).

For online registration, click here. If you are registering for CEUs, please remember to include your occupation and license number when checking out.

To mail your registration, please download the registration form and send it with your payment to: C.A.S.E, 4000 Blackburn Lane, Suite 260, Burtonsville, MD 20866, or fax the form to 301-476-8526.

To register by phone or for more information, please contact Sumantha Halder at (301) 476-8525 or halder@adoptionsupport.org.

]]> Volunteers needed for Maryland Yes on 6 Campaign tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2770 2012-10-11T19:18:05Z 2012-10-11T21:11:53Z Drive For Marriage is looking for volunteers willing to travel to Silver Spring on weekends between now and Election Day to volunteer and/or canvass for Maryland's Yes on 6 campaign. Drive for Marriage is a coordinated national project of the Human Rights Campaign, Freedom To Marry and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. If you are interested in volunteering or for more information, please visit the Drive For Marriage website for more details and to sign up. We encourage those in the DC area to take Metro to the Drive for Marriage Silver Spring location. For those that are driving from other locations, we encourage you to recruit family and friends and offer rides to those in your area that would like to participate! Front Desk road1.png

Drive For Marriage is looking for volunteers willing to travel to Silver Spring on weekends between now and Election Day to volunteer and/or canvass for Maryland's Yes on 6 campaign. Drive for Marriage is a coordinated national project of the Human Rights Campaign, Freedom To Marry and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. If you are interested in volunteering or for more information, please visit the Drive For Marriage website for more details and to sign up.

We encourage those in the DC area to take Metro to the Drive for Marriage Silver Spring location. For those that are driving from other locations, we encourage you to recruit family and friends and offer rides to those in your area that would like to participate!

]]> Support for LGBT Military Families tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2739 2012-09-30T04:05:03Z 2012-09-30T04:10:54Z The American Military Partner Association (www.MilitaryPartners.org) is the nation's premier support and resource network for the partners/spouses of LGBT servicemembers and veterans. Launched originally in 2009 as the "Campaign for Military Partners" by Servicemembers United, America's gay military organization, this first-of-its-kind initiative grew substantially over the course of the ensuing two years and graduated to become the American Military Partner Association on September 20, 2011 - the day that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law was officially repealed. Throughout the years of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, gay and lesbian servicemembers were forced to either forego a relationship and a family or go to great lengths to hide their relationships in order to continue to serve in the armed forces. This situation rendered the committed civilian partners of gay and lesbian servicemembers virtually invisible. They could not be acknowledged, they could not be brought to unit or military functions, they could not access spouse and family support networks, and they were denied the family readiness services made available to the spouses and partners of heterosexual troops. This isolation was always particularly devastating when same-sex couples had to move together to rural posts and bases and especially when the active duty servicemember was deployed overseas. It is this disadvantaged plight that motivated Servicemembers United and the American Military Partner Association to step up back in 2009 and begin to serve this underserved - and often ignored - part of our American military family. In the true historic tradition of military spouses pulling together and figuring out how to support one another on their own during World War II and the Vietnam era, the American Military Partner Association began as an effort to identify, connect, support, and recognize the often ignored and frequently isolated civilian partners of gay and lesbian military personnel. Founded by Servicemembers United in 2009 as a project called the Campaign for Military Partners, the initiative grew to include hundreds and hundreds of military partners across the country and even across the world. The American Military Partner Association has also worked tirelessly to spread the word about the existence and unique needs of the partners of gay and lesbian servicemembers. Dozens of stories were successfully pitched to major national media outlets, resulting in a national spotlight being continuously shown on these silent heroes for the first time in American history. But simply drawing the public's attention to the plight of isolated and under-supported military partners was only the start of how we have been helping military partners for more than two years. The American Military Partner Association launched and maintains the website MilitaryPartners.org as the internet's premier information resource for the partners of gay and lesbian servicemembers. We have engaged in a systematic outreach campaign to military partners in order to let them know about our organization and the resources and network now available to them and to make them start to finally feel like a welcomed part of the wider gay and lesbian military community. After proactively building up a membership, we conducted a first-ever survey of military partners in order to identify and explore the unique needs, challenges, and issues they face on a regular basis. This information was aggregated and analyzed, and it formed the basis of an informative, one-of-a-kind report on gay and lesbian military partner and couple issues submitted by Servicemembers United to the Comprehensive Review Working Group on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Find out more at www.militarypartners.org The DC Center gaymilitarypartners.jpgThe American Military Partner Association (www.MilitaryPartners.org) is the nation's premier support and resource network for the partners/spouses of LGBT servicemembers and veterans. Launched originally in 2009 as the "Campaign for Military Partners" by Servicemembers United, America's gay military organization, this first-of-its-kind initiative grew substantially over the course of the ensuing two years and graduated to become the American Military Partner Association on September 20, 2011 - the day that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law was officially repealed.

Throughout the years of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, gay and lesbian servicemembers were forced to either forego a relationship and a family or go to great lengths to hide their relationships in order to continue to serve in the armed forces. This situation rendered the committed civilian partners of gay and lesbian servicemembers virtually invisible. They could not be acknowledged, they could not be brought to unit or military functions, they could not access spouse and family support networks, and they were denied the family readiness services made available to the spouses and partners of heterosexual troops. This isolation was always particularly devastating when same-sex couples had to move together to rural posts and bases and especially when the active duty servicemember was deployed overseas.

It is this disadvantaged plight that motivated Servicemembers United and the American Military Partner Association to step up back in 2009 and begin to serve this underserved - and often ignored - part of our American military family. In the true historic tradition of military spouses pulling together and figuring out how to support one another on their own during World War II and the Vietnam era, the American Military Partner Association began as an effort to identify, connect, support, and recognize the often ignored and frequently isolated civilian partners of gay and lesbian military personnel. Founded by Servicemembers United in 2009 as a project called the Campaign for Military Partners, the initiative grew to include hundreds and hundreds of military partners across the country and even across the world.

The American Military Partner Association has also worked tirelessly to spread the word about the existence and unique needs of the partners of gay and lesbian servicemembers. Dozens of stories were successfully pitched to major national media outlets, resulting in a national spotlight being continuously shown on these silent heroes for the first time in American history. But simply drawing the public's attention to the plight of isolated and under-supported military partners was only the start of how we have been helping military partners for more than two years.

The American Military Partner Association launched and maintains the website MilitaryPartners.org as the internet's premier information resource for the partners of gay and lesbian servicemembers. We have engaged in a systematic outreach campaign to military partners in order to let them know about our organization and the resources and network now available to them and to make them start to finally feel like a welcomed part of the wider gay and lesbian military community. After proactively building up a membership, we conducted a first-ever survey of military partners in order to identify and explore the unique needs, challenges, and issues they face on a regular basis. This information was aggregated and analyzed, and it formed the basis of an informative, one-of-a-kind report on gay and lesbian military partner and couple issues submitted by Servicemembers United to the Comprehensive Review Working Group on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Find out more at www.militarypartners.org

]]> Family Matters: Woodhull Foundation Launches new Project tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2715 2012-09-22T22:46:01Z 2012-09-22T22:56:59Z The much-anticipated launch of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance's Family Matters Project took place at the opening plenary of this weekend's Sexual Freedom Summit in Washington, DC. Ricci Levy, Woodhull's Executive Director, announced the launch of the project during her opening remarks. "Woodhull launched Family Matters to project the fundamental human right to family by eliminating discrimination based on family structure and relationship choices. In 2010, while more than half of all households counted by the US Census were family households, only 20% were what we consider traditional nuclear family households made up of a husband, a wife, and their own children. The Family Matters project will work to expand rights, respect and recognition for all families." The Family Matters project will work along three strategic lines. It will raise public awareness of family diversity through the sharing of stories and research and through a range of social media campaigns. It will provide education about human rights at conferences and other public events. And it will facilitate collaboration with human rights and social justice organizations to draft and promote model policies and legislation preventing discrimination based on family structure. "The slogan for this project says it all," Levy continued. "Rights, respect and recognition for every family. We focus on rights because all families deserve the same political social and economic rights regardless of their structure. We focus on respect because no family should face bullying, violence or stigmatization because of their relationship choices. We focus on recognition, because all families deserve to be recognized and taken into account, whether by the US Census Bureau, the IRS, or their neighbors and community members." Woodhull invites the participation of all families in kicking off this ambitious project by sharing family stories at Family Matters Project.org. The DC Center familymatters.jpgThe much-anticipated launch of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance's Family Matters Project took place at the opening plenary of this weekend's Sexual Freedom Summit in Washington, DC. Ricci Levy, Woodhull's Executive Director, announced the launch of the project during her opening remarks.

"Woodhull launched Family Matters to project the fundamental human right to family by eliminating discrimination based on family structure and relationship choices. In 2010, while more than half of all households counted by the US Census were family households, only 20% were what we consider traditional nuclear family households made up of a husband, a wife, and their own children. The Family Matters project will work to expand rights, respect and recognition for all families."

The Family Matters project will work along three strategic lines. It will raise public awareness of family diversity through the sharing of stories and research and through a range of social media campaigns. It will provide education about human rights at conferences and other public events. And it will facilitate collaboration with human rights and social justice organizations to draft and promote model policies and legislation preventing discrimination based on family structure.

"The slogan for this project says it all," Levy continued. "Rights, respect and recognition for every family. We focus on rights because all families deserve the same political social and economic rights regardless of their structure. We focus on respect because no family should face bullying, violence or stigmatization because of their relationship choices. We focus on recognition, because all families deserve to be recognized and taken into account, whether by the US Census Bureau, the IRS, or their neighbors and community members."

Woodhull invites the participation of all families in kicking off this ambitious project by sharing family stories at Family Matters Project.org.

]]> Rainbow Families DC's Fall Maybe Baby Series tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2687 2012-09-10T17:08:55Z 2012-09-10T18:00:21Z The Maybe Baby Series is designed for LGBTQ prospective parents, single or partnered, who are considering parenthood and interested in learning more about the options for building a family. The class covers a wide range of topics, including "readiness," overview of adoption, assisted reproduction, and surrogacy (for men primarily); financial and legal issues; building a support network; decision-making as a couple; considerations in single parenting; and the joys and challenges of being an LGBTQ-headed family. The class is designed to provide a balance of active discussion and sharing, as well as to gain practical, accurate information that helps set the foundation for moving forward. There will be several guest speakers throughout the series. Upon completion, RFDC class leaders will direct you to support groups and other resources that will help you through your next steps if you choose to continue on the path to parenthood. Rainbow Families DC's Fall Maybe Baby series will be starting in early October. Registration is now open and there is still some space in the Men's class! For more information about the Maybe Baby series, please email Rainbow Families DC at info@rainbowfamiliesdc.org Front Desk Rainbow091012B.jpgThe Maybe Baby Series is designed for LGBTQ prospective parents, single or partnered, who are considering parenthood and interested in learning more about the options for building a family.

The class covers a wide range of topics, including "readiness," overview of adoption, assisted reproduction, and surrogacy (for men primarily); financial and legal issues; building a support network; decision-making as a couple; considerations in single parenting; and the joys and challenges of being an LGBTQ-headed family.

The class is designed to provide a balance of active discussion and sharing, as well as to gain practical, accurate information that helps set the foundation for moving forward. There will be several guest speakers throughout the series.

Upon completion, RFDC class leaders will direct you to support groups and other resources that will help you through your next steps if you choose to continue on the path to parenthood.

Rainbow Families DC's Fall Maybe Baby series will be starting in early October. Registration is now open and there is still some space in the Men's class! For more information about the Maybe Baby series, please email Rainbow Families DC at info@rainbowfamiliesdc.org

]]> Finding Children Forever Homes: LGBT Foster & Adoptive Families tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2679 2012-09-03T06:05:06Z 2012-09-03T06:08:03Z In an ideal world, every child would be born into a loving stable family, yet the reality is that many children are not. For the more than 400,000 children living in foster care, the goal is to establish safety and permanency with family members or to find adoptive families to provide "forever" homes. Unfortunately, LGBT families who wish to foster and adopt are often barred from doing so by archaic and discriminatory laws, policies or practices. This need not be the case. Finding Children Forever Homes: LGBT Foster & Adoptive Families highlights the compelling need to find adoptive families for waiting children, provides an overview of the barriers faced by LGBT families wishing to foster and adopt, and includes targeted recommendations designed to ensure that LGBT families can help fill the need for loving, stable foster and adoptive homes for children. The brief, which is based on content from All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt LGBT Families, was produced in partnership with the the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Both reports were co-authored by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), the Family Equality Council and the Center for American Progress. Download the Report Now The DC Center foreverhomes.jpgIn an ideal world, every child would be born into a loving stable family, yet the reality is that many children are not. For the more than 400,000 children living in foster care, the goal is to establish safety and permanency with family members or to find adoptive families to provide "forever" homes. Unfortunately, LGBT families who wish to foster and adopt are often barred from doing so by archaic and discriminatory laws, policies or practices. This need not be the case.

Finding Children Forever Homes: LGBT Foster & Adoptive Families highlights the compelling need to find adoptive families for waiting children, provides an overview of the barriers faced by LGBT families wishing to foster and adopt, and includes targeted recommendations designed to ensure that LGBT families can help fill the need for loving, stable foster and adoptive homes for children.

The brief, which is based on content from All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt LGBT Families, was produced in partnership with the the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Both reports were co-authored by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), the Family Equality Council and the Center for American Progress.

Download the Report Now

]]> LGBT Family Day at Nationals Park tag:www.thedccenter.org,2012:/blog//1.2677 2012-08-31T21:47:33Z 2012-08-31T22:04:23Z Rainbow Families DC invites you to join friends and family for an LGBT Family Day at Nationals Park. The Washington Nats will play the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday September 23rd, 2012 starting at 1:35 PM. Join Rainbow Families for a fun afternoon at Nationals Park and after the game, kids can run the bases. For more information, visit the Rainbow Families DC website. The DC Center lgbtfamilies.jpgRainbow Families DC invites you to join friends and family for an LGBT Family Day at Nationals Park. The Washington Nats will play the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday September 23rd, 2012 starting at 1:35 PM.

Join Rainbow Families for a fun afternoon at Nationals Park and after the game, kids can run the bases.

For more information, visit the Rainbow Families DC website.

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