1. Introductio 2. Case law 2.1 American case law 2. 1. 1 Co-parent adoptions 2. 1.2 Stranger adopt 2.2 Dutch case Ian 3. Current status of Dutch legislation 3. Ad e 3.2 Joint parental authority 3.3 Reg 4. Proposed legislation concerning same-gender co-parent adoptions 4. 1 Dutch legislative proposal- Allowing same-gender co-parent adoptions 4. 2 American legislative proposals- Anti-homosexual backlash 5. Comparison and analysis of the Dutch and American legal history concerning same-gender co- parent adoptions 5.1 Differences in legal systems 5.2 Differences in the social status of homosexuals 5.3 Differences in the social status of adoption 5. 4 Differences in the underlying assumptions about family lany 6. Conclusion Append ix: Homosexual and Same-Gender Parent Adoption Articles 1. Introduction The lesbian baby boom made the front cover of the November 1996 Newsweek, which is widely distributed in both the Netherlands and the United States. Estimates are that 20.000 children are being reared in Dutch lesbian and gay families. The number in the United States varies from 1.5 to 5 million depending on which study is consulted. 4 The parents of these children nurture Barbara Kantrowitz, Gay Families Come Out, NEWSWEEK, Nov, 4, 1996, at 50 American >estimates range from 6 million to 14 million children with at least one gay parent. Adoption agencies report more and more inquiries from prospective parents-especially men-who identify themselves as gay, and sperm banks say they=re in the midst of what some call a Agayby boom@ propelled by lesbians. ld Rock star Melissa Etheridge made headlines when she announced that she and declined to reveal how the baby was conceived. Etheridge plans on adopting the baby after the bih a her long-time domestic partner, Julie Cypher, were going to have a baby. Etheridge and Cypher hay Mark miller, We=re a Family and We Have Rights, NEWS WEEK, Nov. 4, 1996, at 54 Hans Warmerdam and Annemies gort. MEER DAN GEWENST: HANDBOEK VOOR LESBISCHE EN HOMOSEKSUELE OUDERS(Amsterdam: Schorer, 1996) Garry Cooper, Network Briefs, FAM. THERAPY NETWORKER, July/Aug. 1997, at 15Contents 1. Introduction 2. Case law 2.1 American case law 2.1.1 Co-parent adoptions 2.1.2 Stranger adoptions 2.2 Dutch case law 3. Current status of Dutch legislation 3.1 Adoption laws 3.2 Joint parental authority 3.3 Registered partnerships 4. Proposed legislation concerning same-gender co-parent adoptions 4.1 Dutch legislative proposal - Allowing same-gender co-parent adoptions 4.2 American legislative proposals – Anti-homosexual backlash 5. Comparison and analysis of the Dutch and American legal history concerning same-gender co￾parent adoptions 5.1 Differences in legal systems 5.2 Differences in the social status of homosexuals 5.3 Differences in the social status of adoption 5.4 Differences in the underlying assumptions about family law 6. Conclusion Appendix: Homosexual and Same-Gender Parent Adoption Articles 1. Introduction The lesbian baby boom made the front cover of the November 1996 Newsweek, 2 which is widely distributed in both the Netherlands and the United States. Estimates are that 20,000 children are being reared in Dutch lesbian and gay families.3 The number in the United States varies from 1.5 to 5 million depending on which study is consulted.4 The parents of these children nurture, 2 Barbara Kantrowitz, Gay Families Come Out, NEWSWEEK, Nov. 4, 1996, at 50. American >[e]stimates range from 6 million to 14 million children with at least one gay parent. Adoption agencies report more and more inquiries from prospective parents - especially men - who identify themselves as gay, and sperm banks say they=re in the midst of what some call a Agayby boom@ propelled by lesbians.= Id. Rock star Melissa Etheridge made headlines when she announced that she and her long-time domestic partner, Julie Cypher, were going to have a baby. Etheridge and Cypher have declined to reveal how the baby was conceived. Etheridge plans on adopting the baby after the birth. Mark Miller, We=re a Family and We Have Rights, NEWSWEEK, Nov. 4, 1996, at 54. 3 Hans Warmerdam and Annemies Gort, MEER DAN GEWENST: HANDBOEK VOOR LESBISCHE EN HOMOSEKSUELE OUDERS (Amsterdam: Schorer, 1996). 4 Garry Cooper, Network Briefs, FAM. THERAPY NETWORKER, July/Aug. 1997, at 15