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C o u r t : N o n bio lo g ica l
M om C an S eek V isita tio n
C ontinued from P age 9
say that they feel like we kind of moved it away
from the center of town, but it’s hard to balance
everybody's needs,” he says. ‘‘We heard more
complaints about the length of the parade and
the gaps in between. It can always be moved to
different places in future years.”
In addition, this year’s festival will only fea
ture one stage instead of the usual two.
“Mainly that was an economical, financial
thing," Dressman told Just Out. “To have two
stages you have to have two sound
systems.. .more volunteers. We’re kind of histor
ically short on volunteers.”
In addition, Pride Northwest hopes the sin
gle stage will lead to an improvement in the cal
iber of performers. Dressman predicts this year’s
headliner, 1970s cover band Hit Explosion, will
be a big success. “It’s the 35th anniversary of the
Stonewall rebellion...so it’s like a little retro
kind of theme,” he says.
The suggested donation is also changing—
from $3 to $5. However, nobody will be turned
away for lack of funds.
The Pride Festival takes place from noon to
11 p.m. June 19 and from noon to 6 p.m.
June 20 at Waterfront Park. The Pride Parade
steps off at 11:15 a.m. June 20.
For more information call 503-2 9 5 -9 7 8 8 or visit
wunv.pndenw.org.
I daho S upreme C ourt
H ears C ustody C ase
T
he Idaho Supreme Court held oral argu
ment May 3 in McGrifif vs. McGriff, a case
T
in which a father lost joint legal and physical
custody of his two children because of his sexu
al orientation. It is one of the first state supreme
court custody lawsuits involving a gay or lesbian
parent since the U.S. Supreme Court struck
down sodomy statutes with the Lawrence vs.
Texas decision last June.
Theron McGriff had been the primary care
taker of the children. After the divorce, which
was initiated by his ex-wife, the parties agreed to
share custody.
This arrangement continued until McGriff
became involved with a male partner, at which
point his former wife petitioned for and received
stile custody based on her argument that the
children would be harmed by living with a gay
father. To add insult to injury, the trial court also
held that he can only have visitation with his
kids if he does not live with his partner.
“I am encouraged by the court’s thorough
questioning,” said Shannon Minter, legal direc
tor of the National Center for Lesbian Rights,
which is co-counsel in the case. “Idaho courts
have a long history of holding that custody deci
sions cannot be premised on bias. I am confident
they will apply that rule in this case as well.”
A decision is expected within the next six
months. “We are very optimistic that the court
will make the right decision for our family,”
McGriff said.
he American Civil Liberties Union praised
the Washington Court o f Appeals on
May 4 for allowing a woman the right to seek
visitation with her child after her relationship
with the biological mother ended.
“This is wonderful news for gay parents and
their children. The court recognized that being
a parent is not just about blood ties,” attorney
Leslie Cooper said. “When two people who
have chosen to raise a child together break up,
the children involved should not be denied the
love and support of a parent simply because that
parent doesn’t have a biological connection.”
Sue Ellen Carvin lived with another woman in
a marriagelike relationship for 12 years. During
that time they decided to have a child together,
with her partner giving birth to their daughter, L.B.
Carvin stayed at home serving as L.B.’s prima
ry caregiver, and their child called her “Mama.”
Carvin bathed, dressed, fed, disciplined, consoled
and provided financial support for her child.
When L.B. was almost 6, the couple separated.
Carvin’s ex-partner eventually cut off all contact
between her and the child.
The court’s decision reverses a lower ruling,
which held that Carvin could not petition for
visitation with her child. The appeals court held
that where an adult assumes the obligations of
parenthood with the consent of the biological
parent and has established a parental relation
ship with the child, she is a “de facto parent”
and may seek visitation. The court sent the case
back to the trial court to give Carvin the oppor
tunity to prove she was a de facto parent. J H
Com piled by J im R adosta and M eg D aly
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