(supersedes previous).
Rome's tribunal for minors has
recognised a lesbian couple's adoption of each other's
biological daughters, two gay rights associations announced
Tuesday, adding that it was a first for Italy.
The court upheld two appeals from lawyer Francesca Quarato,
a founding member of the Rete Lenford (Lenford Network) gay
rights group, representing the Famiglie Arcobaleno (Rainbow
Families) association of gay parents and their children.
The court based itself on current legislation on "adoptions
in special cases", which means the children - two girls aged
four and eight - will have the same double-barrelled surname but
will not be legally considered sisters.
Quarato explained that the special cases adoption law
"confers lesser guarantees to the minor when compared to the
recognition of full, legitimate parenthood" such as the children
of heterosexual married couples currently enjoy.
However, the ruling does proved both children with more
protection than they would otherwise have, she said.
"In this way, each (of the minors) has a biological parent
and a social parent, both of them with full and equal parenting
capacities and responsibilities," Quarato explained.
"The court... exclusively considered the minors' interest
in having their relationship with their social mother recognized
and protected".
Rete Lenford President Maria Grazia Sangalli and Rainbow
Families President Marilena Grassadonia hailed the ruling.
"This is the only recourse same-sex couples have in order
to legally adopt their partners' children, in the absence of a
law on the matter," said Sangalli.
"Unfortunately, lawmakers are not contributing to the work
of the courts... by promulgating norms that take reality into
consideration," Sangalli added.
"All you would have to do is look at the world through the
eyes of a child to know that safeguarding their affections is
the only way to guarantee them a better life," Grassadonia said.
The Senate last week passed a civil unions bill recognizing
gay couples and extending to them some of the same rights and
privileges straight couples enjoy - minus a measure on the
couples' rights to adopt each other's children, which was
dropped on the demand of Catholic conservatives.
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