Oregon

Signs that read 'One Man, One Woman, Yes on 36' lined the gorgeous farmland of Marion County Oregon. Proposition 36 called for a vote to change Oregon's Constitution. The change replaced language which stated, "anyone over 18 can marry..." with, "a man and a woman over 18 can marry..." Mark and I noticed the irony of our situation as we drove our newborn daughter around Silverton, Salem, and Portland.

A lesbian couple in Oregon had a child two years ago through artificial insemination. The birth certificate was suppose to indicate both woman as parents, but the document arrived at their home with the other woman's name crossed out. The child's birth certificate recognized only the birth mother as the child's parent, so the two women filed suit.

A Multnomah County Circuit Judge says two Oregon laws on parental rights violate the state's constitution when applied to same-gender couples.

Although President Bush maintains a conservative-Republican presence on every issue, Democrats now control both houses of Congress. They won majorities in 10 new state legislatures, and control a majority of America’s governorships.

He made Oregon State a national contender that reached the College World Series. And now Kirk Walker is believed to be the only openly gay coach in NCAA Division I athletics. Walker became a dad in 2006 after completing an open adoption he pursued with his long-time partner. In an interview with ESPN, Walker said it took about 6 months to complete the necessary paperwork and enter the adoption pool, just the first step in the long adoption process.

Supporters of gay families should be pleased with recent developments in our fight for equality. New Hampshire recently approved civil unions and Massachusetts lawmakers blocked a proposed ballot measure to ban gay marriage. In New York, the State Assembly passed a marriage equality bill that was introduced by Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The bill still has to pass the state Senate.

Open Adoption & Family Services is the premier Northwest adoption agency in the U.S., with over 20 years experience facilitating child-centered open adoptions. The agency completes the most domestic infant and newborn adoptions in Oregon and Washington, and welcomes gay and lesbian adoptive parents into its adoption program.

The Oregon House passed two bills that will allow same-sex couples the same benefits as married couples, and protection against discrimination. Governor Ted Kulongoski plans to sign both.

The first bill would enable same-sex couples to enter into contractual relationships that grant them the same benefits offered to married couples under state law. The bill refers to the relationships as domestic partnerships.