Lesbian couples are asked for more requirements to register their children
What do you think of the title of this post? Over the top? Surreal?
The fact is:
At the registry office the amount of documentation and requirements needed is higher for a gay couple than for a straight couple.
Do you think we live in a society where homosexuality is a given?
Does the law really treat LGBT and heterosexual people equally?
A few months ago, a lesbian couple in Denia refused to hand in a certificate that the registry office claimed they needed in order to register their child.
That document is NOT something they ask heterosexual couples for.
What do lesbian mothers need to do in order to register their children?
Lesbian mothers must hand in a document issued by the reproductive clinic, which acknowledges that the pregnant mother has undergone an assisted reproduction procedure.
Lesbian couples must be married in order to register their children.
What about heterosexual couples?
In theory, heterosexual couples that have undergone assisted reproduction procedures should also be asked for this document.
That’s not the reality.
It is common practice that straight men come to register their children and don’t need to show any proof of paternity. The Registry Office assumes that these men are, in fact, the fathers.
Shockingly, no one questions this man’s identity with proof or documentation; it’s a different story when it comes to mothers. We must be married in order to register our children but, in the case of a man, anyone can go through this process without any documentation.
Why must we go through this?
The fact is that the law of Assisted Human Reproduction Techniques (14/2006) does not require that we present this certificate. Unfortunately, the reality is if you don’t you can’t register your child.
Can a person’s particular interpretation prevail over a written law?
Only few government officials don’t ask for “the document”. It happened to us in Barcelona. We had a lot of problems, but we will discuss that in another post.
Online registration
One of mothers from the Denia case says she tried to register her son online at the hospital, but it was impossible because the system didn’t recognise two mothers.
An irritating message appeared every time she tried: “case of unspecified exclusion”.
“Exclusion”
How would you feel if your family, your child or you were excluded, just because you were two lesbian mums?
We have a long way to go as lesbian mums and as an LGBT community in order to be able to register our children.
We will continue to fight for equality and love.
Have you encountered a similar situation or do you know someone who has?
