Connecticut

Hawaii and Delaware join the list of states which recognize same-sex civil unions. Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island already recognize civil unions providing state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples. Six other states and Washington, D.C. allow same-sex marriage - creating a patchwork of U.S. legislation for same-sex couples who want to legalize their unions. Marriage licenses are given to same-sex couples in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and D.C. California's struggle for marriage equality is stayed pending an appeal.

Surrogacy in France is illegal and still controversial, yet an increasing number of French people who cannot have children on their own are turning to various surrogacy and egg donation arrangements abroad. Attempts to change the law are hotly debated and even presidential candidates are taking sides. American experts, a surrogate mother, French parents and academics recently weighed in on the topic that divides France. Instead of pros or cons, they concentrated on providing guidelines on how surrogacy can be carried out ethically. The ethical principles Dr.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy [pic], a longtime supporter of gay rights, spoke to students at the largest GLBT youth conference in the country. The University of Connecticut hosted the two-day event, organized by True Colors, a Hartford-based nonprofit group that advocates for youth.

In an unprecedented decision, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that two gay men could be recognized as legal parents on the birth certificate of their twins born through surrogacy. This is the first time in U.S. history that a state high court has acknowledged the parentage of two men, and it has created a new way by which persons may become legal parents.