Lesbian lawmaker becomes surrogate
Yahoo News reports Rep. Christine Johnson will serve an additional role when the Utah Legislature convenes. The lesbian lawmaker announced she’s a surrogate mother, carrying a baby for two gay men.
Johnson decided to become artificially inseminated with sperm from one of the men after the two close friends expressed frustration over the difficulty of adopting a child.
Utah law prohibits unmarried couples from adopting and does not recognize gay marriage.
Johnson, 41, who has a 17-year-old daughter, is four-months pregnant and expecting on June 21.
Johnson offered to be a surrogate at no cost; the men, who were married in California when gay marriage was legal, will pick up the medical costs.
Johnson said she’s aware that many lawmakers in conservative Utah think a child does best with both a mother and a father. However, she said, she predicts the men will be “wonderful parents.”
Anti-gay-marriage NY senator to step down
Advocate.com reports New York state Sen. George Onorato, one of eight Democrats who voted against the marriage-equality bill that failed in the chamber last month, announced Jan. 11 that he would not run for re-election in November.
Onorato has served his Queens district since 1983.
The move clears the way for assembly member Michael Gianaris, a staunch LGBT-rights supporter, to run for the seat.
Montana city considers law to protect gays
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports Bozeman city commissioners are considering a policy change to prohibit discrimination against people because they are lesbian or gay.
If approved, the change would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s antidiscrimination policy. The current policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, political ideas and disability.
Mayor Jeff Krauss said he hasn’t heard of any gay or lesbian discrimination issues with city workers, adding the policy change could save the city from future legal trouble.
— Larry Nichols