How To Adopt A Partner's Child

leigh smith speaking "i've just all my life wanted to be a mom." crystal hendrix speaking "it's hard to have two kids who are two and a half and seven months without constantlyfinding something to laugh at." leigh smith speaking "there's always something going on." title: securing the tiesthat bind; second parent adoption in north carolina leigh smith: "we have two children quinn is 2 and a half years old and joe is seven months." crystal hendrix speaking " we get up every morning and we think about what is best for our family

How To Adopt A Partner's Child, i am the biological mother which means i'mthe legal mother in the eyes of the law and i want to make sure that leigh is the oneraising our children if something happens to me second parent adoption is the way toensure that leigh and quinn and joe have that security." second parent adoption occurs whenone partner in an unmarried couple adopts

the other partners biological or adoptivechild. this can occur in both gay and straight relationships.second parent adoption is illegal in north carolina. the aclu is challenging the ban on second parent adoption in northcarolina on behalf of six gay and lesbian couples and their children leighs parents: "they need to havetheir family protected so they can always be together, as a family." leigh speaking: "when we found outthat second parent adoption have been banned in north carolina it just it was like a slapin the face we were devastated you know the whole family was just calling and crying." leighs father speaking: "i'm concerned that something could happen to crystal and these two kids that are a partof my family could possibly be removed from my family." crystal speaking: "i come from a very conservative family and they do not recognize us a as a

family unit and they do not recognize leighas quinn and joes parent. if something were to happen to me i worry about quin and joesfuture. someone else could end up raising my children." leigh speaking: "you know i constantly worry if something does happen. you know what will happen with the kids you know will i continue to be theirmom . that's a fear that's always there." leighs parents: "how sad that it would be for them to have such a close relationship with her and have such devotion from her and then it disappear. grandparents who really love them and care about them, and extended family aunts uncles and cousins.. um, they deserve that." leigh speaking:" second parent adoption would mean that we were a family. a set family that no one could take that away from us. that's the main thing it means to me... thatwe're secure."

to learn more about the families involved in the aclu's second parent adoptioncase, visit www.aclu.org/second-parent-adoption-nc