DES MOINES, Iowa — Melissa Gartner will have to wait a bit longer to find out if she'll be listed on the birth certificate of the child her wife bore.

Melissa Gartner, 41, and Heather Gartner, 39, sued the state when the Iowa Department of Public Health refused in 2009 to list both names on the birth certificate of their daughter, Mackenzie.
Iowa District Judge Eliza Ovrom heard arguments in the case Monday and will issue a written ruling at a later date.

Bob has passed away. We however are still here. Whomever is able to help out, please let Erin know - ASAP - I know Bob did a HUGE amount of work behind the scenes for Big Closet and other sites.
He set up and tested newer versions of the software that funs this site and Stardust...he just did so much to help out and will be sorely missed even by the visitors here who don't have a clue as to he was or what he did around here.

{{hugs}}

Frank

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2011/02/white-house-anno...

The White House made history in two ways Friday, when it announced Jeremy Bernard as its new social secretary -- the first man and the first openly gay person to fill that role.

Bernard, who is currently the Senior Advisor to the Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, will replace Julianna Smoot, the White House announced.

The documentary Prodigal Suns http://www.prodigalsonsfilm.com/drupal/index.php is on Sundance Channel Monday night 8:00 EDT. I've been looking forward to seeing it for months!

{{Hugs}}

Frank

Children of lesbian couples do well, study finds
Study tracks kids of same-sex couples from insemination
Reuters
updated 11:18 a.m. ET, Mon., June 7, 2010

Being raised by a same-sex couple is no hindrance to healthy psychological development, researchers say as the first generation of children conceived by lesbians through donor insemination is coming of age.

In fact, lesbian mothers rated their 17-year-olds higher in social and academic skills, and lower in rule-breaking and aggression, than did mothers of teenagers who also had a father.

What if some time in the future they can tell if a fetus is TG (or gay or whatever). The parents have the option to "fix" him so his brain develops in such a way that it matches the body he's born in -- essentially someone with a male body would have a brain happy to be in such a body, and vice versa.

I'm a tad dismayed that it hasn't had more readers. Part 2 especially is some of Randalynn's best writing, and that alone is saying a lot!

You can't tell from the title, but this could just as easily have been called Saving Stark. If you've read any of the Stark tales, this is what they've been leading up to the whole time.

So if you are a fan of Randalynn's, please check these stories out. Part 2 hasn't hit 1000 reads yet and that's almost criminal.

{{Huggles}}

Frank

I first read No Obligation about 13 months ago or so. I just re-read it again these last couple of nights. This story sucks the reader in and grabs hold of you and doesn't let you go until you are done with it. It's the multifaceted fantasy of an epic character who starts out male and ends up as a young female Wyatt Earp for the universe.

Wonderfully written, no weak parts to it, and shows the power of love and compassion.

Jodi has posted the story in its entirety I believe

http://www.fictionmania.tv/stories/readtextstory.html?storyI...

I seem to spend so much time reading these darn stories, that I don't seem to ever read books...they are really piling up!! *sigh*

Huggles

Brittany, passed away today. She was 1 month shy of her 19th birthday. She's been my constant companion over the years. She came to me via ex-wife when we got married. Within 24 hours of meeting, Brittany and I were friends. When my back collapse made me virtually bed-ridden for 3 years, she was always with me. She's had various health issues over the years, and I've managed to keep her going. The last 6 months have been hard as Brittany developed high blood pressure and lost her sight. She'd lost her hearing a few years ago as well.

This was from Thursday night's Rachel Maddow show, I found it highly amusing especially when she is joined by
Ana Marie Cox

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/30145811#30145811

Hugs

I've been posting a story for someone that is REALLY excellent. It was originally posted only on Fictionmania and as I know a lot of people don't frequent that site from here I asked him a few times if I could post it here. The story called "Dancing on Daddy's Shoes" is one of the best if not the best I've read in ages for this genre.