World

France

First spousal adoption by a same-sex couple approved

PARIS, France -- A French lesbian couple has received approval for one wife’s two biological children to be adopted by the other spouse.

The adoption, the first authorised for a same-sex couple in the nation, comes less than five months after the French government passed legalisation of same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples in France passed in May.

The couple- only being identified by their first names and surname initial by French magazine Le Monde- Caroline and Pascale A. were married this past June, and Thursday received approval for the adoption the Judge of the Family Court. Both children are reportedly the result of artificial insemination by an unknown donor or donors according to the magazine. 

The announcement was celebrated by the French LGBTQ equality rights advocacy group Association of Gay and Lesbian Parents and Future Parents, which said in a statement on its webpage, "That from now on, children may hear in school hallways, Two moms or two dads,' it’s possible!”

Russia

Anti-gay crusader Scott Lively returns to Russian Federation

Scott Lively, St. Basil's Red Square, Moscow
October 2014

MOSCOW, Russia -- Anti-gay activist Scott Lively returned to Russia this week at the invitation of the Rockford, Illinois-based World Congress of Families,(WCF) a christian group that has opposed same-sex marriage and adoption of children by same-sex couples or LGBT parents in the United States and globally. This is his first trip back to the country since his 50 city tour in 2007.

The WCF is hosting a summit meeting next September in the Russian capital city at the seat of the Russian government, the Kremlin, the agenda of which according to Lively is "traditional" values and the family. The organization has convened meetings of social conservatives globally to exchange ideas on topics such as combating LGBT rights and reproductive rights.

On his blog, Lively wrote that he had several meetings with Russian Orthodox Church officials including Archpriest Dimitri Smirnov, head of the Patriarch‘s Commission on the Family. Smirnov works directly for Patriarch Kirill or Cyril, the powerful head of the Russian Orthodox Church. (Equivalent to the Pope of the Catholic Church.)

Kirill has pushed for several laws now enacted in the Russian Federation including the controversial 'gay propaganda'

law and the ban on adoption of Russian children by same-sex couples or couples whose countries permit same-sex marriage.

Lively also noted that he was receiving assistance in having a Russian language version of his anti-gay book, The Pink Swastika. 

"Father Dimitri has also offered to help me find a publisher for the Russian version of The Pink Swastika.We have pledged to devote 50% of earnings from this book to promote the pro-family movement in Russia and the former Soviet countries. 

Given the Russian attitude about homosexuality, and the still-fresh memories of Nazism in the Russian population, this book has significant potential to further harden resolve against the homosexualization of Russia and the countries in its orbit."

A spokesperson for a Russian LGBTQ equality rights activist group, Larry Poltavtsev, noted that Lively's "mission will only lead to justification for further violence against LGBTQ Russians."