First lesbian couples legally recognize child

By Maxime Zech on April 1, 2014 - 14:14
Mother
. Source: Wikimedia

The first lesbian couples have signed acts for the legal guardianship of their child Tuesday morning in Amsterdam's city hall. From now on, so-named 'other mothers' do not have to go through tedious, costly and difficult adoption procedures to be lawfully recognized as parent. 

Mayor of Amsterdam , Eberhard van der Laan and state secretary of Security and Justice, Fred Teeven, were present to celebrate this step in the city.

The law on lesbian parenthood is effective from the . According to the mayor, this date is one with a history of revolutionary laws. On the first day in April 13 years ago, the first gay wedding took place in the city. "And now, for the first time, an unmarried other mother can recognize her child without a judge needing to get involved."

Teeven was also excited about this "particularly festive moment." The state secretary will be taking the next few years to look at a law for surrogate motherhood, and multiple parenthood.

One of the mothers who signed for legal parentage of their 5-week old son Ravi for her girlfriend on Tuesday admitted that it touched her more than she would have thought. "We were already a family for love, but now we're also a family for the law."

The Senate voted in November about the proposed law. which was left alone for a long time due to political disagreement. The position of children with the new law will become as equal as possible to that of children born into heterosexual relations.

On Tuesday, more than 20 lesbian couples followed those from Amsterdam in the entire country. A party at COC Nederland in Amsterdam will round off the momentous day.

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