Kelly Cassidy is a newly elected State Representative in Illinois. She is also a lesbian -- and the mother of three adopted children. She'll be the only gay parent in the State legislature. And, she's not going to let the Catholic Church and Catholic Charities discriminate against gay parents. From Gary Barlow at Now In Gay Chicago:
The lesbian mother of three adopted children, Cassidy is well aware of what's at stake.There should be no compromise. And, no public money should fund discrimination.
“To have your family's value questioned in a public forum is just mind-boggling to me,” Cassidy said. “As the only gay parent down there I have no intention of letting them do this.”
Catholic Charities gets about $30 million per year from the state of Illinois to provide foster care and adoption services for some 3,000 children. Catholic lobbyists have been trying to pass legislation this spring to give Catholic Charities and other religious-affiliated, state-funded agencies the right to turn away gay and lesbian couples after June 1. That's when the state's civil unions law takes effect, giving gay and lesbian couples in civil unions the same rights, at far as the state goes, enjoyed by married couples.
That means adoption agencies funded by state dollars won't be able to discriminate against those gay and lesbian couples unless Catholic lobbyists are successful in getting an exemption through the Legislature.
“I simply don't see the need to compromise over the legitimacy of our families,” Cassidy said.
