Lesbian Women Sue over Adoption Ban for Unmarried Couples

HAZEL PARK, Mich. - HAZEL PARK, Mich. (AP) -- Two lesbians who are raising three children filed a lawsuit Monday to overturn Michigan's ban on adoption by unmarried couples.

April DeBoer, with two adopted children, and Jayne Rowse, with one, are longtime partners and nurses who live together with the kids in suburban Detroit. But under state law, they can't adopt them as a couple, an option available only to heterosexual married couples.

"Jayne and I love our children as deeply as any other parent loves their kids," DeBoer said in the statement. "We just want our children to have the same protections all other children have so that our kids know they can never be taken from either of us."

The lawsuit filed in federal court in Detroit claims the women's civil rights are being violated. By adopting as a couple, DeBoer and Rowse would be confident that the children would be cared for in case of death or another emergency, the lawsuit states.

The children, ages 3 and under, were born to biological parents who couldn't care for them.

"Michigan's law prohibiting second parent adoptions by unmarried persons serves no legitimate government interest. ... The undisputed sociological and psychological evidence demonstrates that unmarried persons, straight, gay or lesbian, are no less loving, caring and effective parents than those parents who are married to each other," the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit names Gov. Rick Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette as defendants.

"We have not seen the suit yet, but our job is to enforce and defend all laws as enacted by the Legislature," Schuette spokesman John Sellek said. "Any changes to a law would have to originate in the Legislature."

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Governor Rick Snyder's office released the following statement on Monday: "The Governor's been clear in his support for adoptive families and in particular the work of DHS to strengthen children's services and matching kids in foster care with permanent families. However, don't know how much we can add to this as Michigan statute is very clear that married couples may adopt, and single individuals, whether heterosexual or gay/lesbian, may adopt as long as they are deemed fit and willing parents under the law in either case. But unmarried partners, whether straight or gay, may not jointly adopt. This is a complaint that seems more appropriate to direct to the legislature to amend the statute rather than a federal judge and a lawsuit against the Governor and Attorney General."

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Related Link:

Deboer Rowse Adoption Fund Website