Review: The Fosters from ABC Family

ABC Family The Fosters

May be spoilerish. You’ve been warned. I’ve been hearing many good things about this show from my friend Dana at Mombian. The story focuses on a lesbian couple that happens to be biracial, Stef and Lena, who are raising a blended family. Their children include Stef’s biological son from her first marriage, Brandon, as well […]

Five Things People Say To Social Workers

social work

Today is World Social Work Day. I received my MSW after blood, sweat and tears in April of 2000. And since that day when someone asks me what I do, I have typically responded “I’m a social worker” rather than using my actual job title. I do this because I am proud to be part […]

Post-Gazette Profiles Same-Sex Couple for National Adoption Day Story

The Post-Gazette’s Rich Lord profiled Kizzy and Sandra, a married lesbian couple who adopted a sibling group of 4 this past weekend on National Adoption Day. This day is organized to recognize the thousands of children who are eligible for adoption through foster care – something close to my heart. Kizzy and Sandra were married […]

Every Day Heroes

This segment on 60 Minutes really took my breath away. A “Schindler’s List” story out of Saigon involving a Citibank Executive.   He was no CIA operative with “extrication” experience. He wasn’t a native resident with a rich wife. This is pretty amazing – not that his risk was any less or greater than in […]

Allegheny County Should Not Put Foster Children at Risk to Save Money

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial board (which endorsed Corbett and Wagner for God’s sake) Allegheny County is planning to use the cards to issue payments to foster parents. That’s the wrong way to go. State and local governments should be trying to protect workers and consumers from exploitation, not using the service just because they […]

The Week in LGBTQA – March 17, 2013

St. Patrick’s Day edition. First, let me wish my younger brother Jim a happy birthday. He’s 41 – 17 months younger than me. In my head he’s still 8. LOL.  One of most significant stories this past week involved a conversation about how we prevent rape. Gun proponents argue that women need guns to shoot […]

Don’t Forget the Aunties …

Don’t Forget the Aunties …

Today, good friends of ours sent a “Save the Date” for the baptism of their adopted son, EM. EM is six months old and we first met him when he was only 8 days old! We’ve also been proud to know his older brother, JJ almost since he came home at six months. It is […]

Does the Catholic Church Have a First Amendment Right to Provide Social Services?

Does the Catholic Church Have a First Amendment Right to Provide Social Services?

No. And they accept that fact. Here’s the challenge. Anthony R. Picarello Jr., general counsel and associate general secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, disagreed. “It’s true that the church doesn’t have a First Amendment right to have a government contract,” he said, “but it does have a First Amendment right not […]

Santorum: LGBT Families “Destabilize” America

Santorum: LGBT Families “Destabilize” America

He’s at it again … Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is on the presidential campaign trail in Iowa and his appeal to the heartland is laced with bigotry and intolerance, as well as a healthy dose of hypocrisy. On Weds, Dec 7, he was in Spencer, Iowa. He wants to maintain family structures among immigrants […]

Every Child Deserves a Family Legislation; National Adoption Month Blogfest

Every Child Deserves a Family Legislation; National Adoption Month Blogfest

The Family Equality Council has invest a lot of resources to promote this legislation: This month, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act was introduced  by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and a companion bill in the House now has 82 bi-partisan co-sponsors thanks to the work of lead sponsor, Rep. Pete Stark (CA). This bill […]