MIAMI - A Florida judge has approved the adoption of a 22-month-old baby girl that will list three people as parents on her birth certificate -- a married lesbian couple and a gay man.
The decision ends a two-year paternity fight between the couple and a friend of the women who donated his sperm to father the child but later sought a larger role in the girl's life.
The ruling means the child's birth certificate will include a biological father and both women as parents in an unusual arrangement approved recently by a Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge.
The women, Maria Italiano, 43, and Cher Filippazzo, 38, had made several unsuccessful attempts to become parents using fertility clinics.
They then turned to Italiano's hair dresser, Massimiliano Gerina, and asked if he would provide his sperm for artificial insemination.
"When push came to shove, they figured he would understand the situation," said Kenneth Kaplan, an attorney for the women.
"The mistake they made, however, was there should have been a written document spelling out what his rights and responsibilities were going to be."
According to Filippazzo, the three reached a verbal agreement before Italiano became pregnant. Filipazzo said the agreement meant she would adopt the baby and the two women, a longtime couple, would raise the child together.
But shortly before the baby was born, Gerina decided he wanted to be considered a parent and not a sperm donor. The women disagreed. Under Florida law, sperm donors have no legal rights to children.
Gerina hired a lawyer, setting off nearly two years of legal wrangling.
Under the judge's decision, the two women will have sole parental rights, although Gerina will be allowed to visit the child. He will not be expected to provide child support.
"We're trying to do the right thing for Emma," Filippazzo said. "We want Emma to have it all, and we believe by doing it this way, including him in a birthday or Thanksgiving, it'll be a nice addition for her."
"We believe the best interest for Emma is for him to have a role in her life, but not as a parent," she said. "The role is this is mommy's good friend who helped your moms have you because they wanted you so badly."
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I hear two...two...now we have three...I hear three...can I get four...how about five...can I get six anyone...
How much more complicated can we make it for our children? Short sighted adults. I feel sorry for the next generation.
The "new America", isn't it great???
(BTW: Maria Italiano??? Got to be a stage name right?)
No, Italiano is a legitimate last name for people of Italian heritage. Do a people search and you'll see.
This is a good example of why it's not OK to subvert what nature intended. Artificial insemination and cloning will lead to severe identity problems. Gene splicing will create monsters. Better to leave it the way it was. Millions of years of evolution -- or God's intelligent design if you prefer -- can't be wrong.
Homosexuality occurs in 5000 species on the planet. Was "God" wrong in all of those? God does not make the civil rights for the Untied States of America. And by your own comment, you consider infertile heterosexuals to be a subversion in nature.
Some replies are just too funny to pass up. Excuses such as 'homosexuality occurs in 5000 species on the planet' are simply hilarious - and untrue. Homosexuals frequently use this as a justification for their lifestyle choice. Of course they hope you forget a few things. First, scans of the entire human genome have not found any combination of genetic factors for their behavior. Second, humans are inherently different than lesser animals and although we may observe same sex activity in a few animals it's likely due to one reason - which is being an animal they're horny and would hump a log as practice for the real deed. True story - a friend of mine had a black lab that would practice on his hibachi and when visiting you'd occasionally hear a ding, ding, ding, ding. Third, most professional therapists agree homosexuality is a choice resulting from environmental factors which translated means it's a choice by the individual to practice homosexuality.
ItsAboutTime-3704531
Homosexuality occurs in 5000 species on the planet. Was "God" wrong in all of those? God does not make the civil rights for the Untied States of America. And by your own comment, you consider infertile heterosexuals to be a subversion in nature.
______________________________________________________________
So does this! How many of those 5000 species are forcibly sodomizing THEIR KIDS!? Homosexuality is someone with a broken mind.
Boy Scout leader charged with sodomizing Scout
A former Boy Scout leader has been charged with sodomizing a boy in his troop who was under the age of 13.
News of the indictment Monday by a grand jury in Charlottesville, Va., comes as the Boy Scouts of America faces a vote tomorrow by its executive board that could reverse the iconic organization’s century-old policy of barring homosexuals from its ranks.
David Watkins, 49, was arrested Nov. 28 in Charlottesville, Va., where he works as CEO of Watkins Computer Services. Watkins founded Keswick Troop 1028 in 2002 and was its scoutmaster until 2008.
The abuse took place in 2005, according to court documents, but the victim, now an adult, waited several years before coming forward, reported WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg, Va.
Boy Scout leader charged with sodomizing Scout
Can anyone tell me what sexual organs are in the Human anus and colon? Any doctors out there have any input on how a filthy, stinking bacteria filled anus is a turn on!?
I'M ALL EARS!
TTTX
As a professional therapist, your statement is a lie and has no basis in statistical fact.
Professional therapists don't really know. The professional pyschology groups said in the 70s that homosexuality is not environmentally caused. But there has never been a comprehensive scientific study done on the topic, even though we know WAY more about genetics and brain biomechanics now.
It would be un-PC to do a study on the cause (or causes) of homosexuality, so we will probably never know.
| As a professional therapist, your statement is a lie and has no basis in statistical fact.
Statistical fact, hmmm, I don't think any statistics were mentioned. As far as your statement on my comment being a 'lie' I don't believe a real professional therapist would have responded in such a manner so therefore maybe you're the liar. I stick by my original statement as being factual.
????? Where did you get that nonsense from?
The only thing "professional psychology groups" like the APA said at the time is that homosexuality wasn't a disorder.
Straight from the APA website. They are politely saying what I originally stated (so as to not offend the homosexual community I suppose):
BTW I sure that persons with schitzophrenia have little or no sense of choice about their thought processes either. I believe both can safely be considered mental disorders although genetics have a play in schitzophrenia.
This is sad on a number of levels. But, the only level I care about affects me. I considered Florida for a second home. Not now, it seems that the progressive lunacy has infected that state as well. Oh well.
Showshanda, no the progressive lunacy hasn't infected that RED State. It's the rule of law the judge was going by. Blame the GOP for the laws they have there, not the D's.
Plus why did you have to bring politics into this anyway? What a twit to do something like that.
Well this should be a wakeup call to all men, have a written contract when donating your sperm. If those two divorce, you know he will be stuck for child support. But I guess he wanted to be part of the kid's life, he will be paying for it.
All children should have fathers whenever possible. You'd think this couple would be happy that the child's biological father wanted to be a part of the child's life. I just don't get their selfishness. If he was a reprehsible person, I would understand. But he was obviously a friend, so I'm assuming he's a decent person. Why wouldn't they want this man to act as a father to the child, or at least have some visitation?
Lesbians inherently hate men (a lot of them) and while they NEED THEM to procreate, they don't want them involved in their lives at all.
Selfish is only one of the adjectives I would use to describe these women, the rest I can't list here.
Families with no fathers are whats raising anti gun and anti second amendment sissys raised my moms only. Because they are scared of guns because they never had a MAN in their life to show them how "TO BE A MAN" They grow up as sissyfied wimps.
I don't think these people truly appreciate the ENORMOUS emotional burden that their selfishness is going to put on this poor, defensless child. This kid is going to need LOTS & LOTS of therapy when someone tries to explain to her that her family structure is the ANAMOLY & not the norm.
It's getting so bad that Chris Rock called Obama daddy the other day LOL, Wonder if Chris is going to add Obama's name to his birth certifcate
Seems like the point of a birth certificate is so you can trace your biological parents for legal and health reasons. In the years to come if this child needs a bone marrow transplant, the birth certificate sure wont help matters. Or if some distant unknown relative of one of the 3 parents dies there are legal problems.
Sigh... I'm a liberal and all for equal rights, but this is just stupid.
This story is a classic example clearly demonstrating how homosexuality is a lifestyle choice of exceptions and excuses. The poor child is going to grow up and be more confused than a racoon in a marble factory. At least these homosexual partners have the pet they always wanted.....
So the judge made darn sure there would be an opportunity for a man to be around the kid, and yet gave the guy no financial responsibilities. This one will end up back in court again...
You can bet on it.
Just like the most recent case in the news, lesbian couple adopts, now have split up, neither woman can support the children and have gone on government welfare and now the state is suing the sperm donor for child support.
NEWS FLASH--if you can't afford to feed and clothed YOUR OWN KIDS, then DON'T HAVE THEM. Another case of irresponsibility - I'll do what I want and when I can't afford it, the government will step in and raise my family for me.
People are scum.
Well, isn't that an interesting decision. Only part that bothers me is that he is included on the birth certificate, has mandated visitation rights, but isn't required to pay support. Let's see any heterosexual male try to get a deal like that with an ex-wife/girlfriend.
100% right on it's the different rules and rights for alternitive life style and different rules for poeople who use to be considered normal
"We believe the best interest for Emma is for him to have a role in her life, but not as a parent," she said. "The role is this is mommy's good friend who helped your moms have you because they wanted you so badly
apparently kids have a better chance of staying out of trouble if they have a father figure around I do not think this discription would fit the Idea of a father figure and a gay married couple does not have a father figure this is probably the best solution they could come up with but it's not The Ideal solution society needs solve our problem of fatherless homes whites are something like 35%,Latino 50% african americans 70% something in that range . Even though gay marriage seems to be the IN THING to have in your state now does not mean it will improve families situations This is a perfect example of what gay marriage has to contribute to society we have already seen what Normal marriage ok hetrosexual marriage has done so how is legalizing gay marriage good ?? it's good if you are a politician ! it's good if your gay I guess ?
The bottom line is statistic show kids in a male / female marriage contribute more to society. legalizing gay marriage is more political than for the rights of 1-2 % of the US population that is gay or whatever the % is
On a sideline topic, don't you think that it's AWESOME that THREE people want to take responsibility (from a parenting perspective) of this child. There are so many men AND WOMEN out there in this country today that are ready to dump their parental responsibility on the roadside (in some cases, literally), it's refreshing to hear that this child has THREE people that love her so much that they want to call themselves parent.
I agree yes it is good to see
but 2 woman and 1 man who sees the child maybe ? 2-12 times a year is not what i would call a father figure which is proven to empower a family unit
I'm merely pointing out this two year battle is just the start of what is yet to come with gay marriage if you think a normal male and female marriage has it's difficulties now we are adding gay marriage sounds like a leathol brew of the break down of a family unit
2 females and a 1 male is a alteritive family arrangement
when most normal people would want a nice clean straight forward female male family unit for their child from the beginning of time that has been considered normal
I think I will add my male, neutered cat to my boy's birth certificate, as well as my female non neutered cat. Headed to Miami now... Sucker Judges!!! He he! They'll do anything down there!
Pathetic - where is good case of aids when you need it - to die homos...sorry for the kid.
So let me get this straight? This man spends his money on lawyers for two years to make sure this kid knows he did the deed, and he gets to visit, but he is not going to be required to pay child support? There are plenty of poor regular Joes out there that don't have any parental rights, but still have to pay child support. If he wants to be on the birth certificate so badly, then he should have to pay.
I'm sorry, but if he went through all of this and doesn't want to support the child financially, then in my opinion he is only doing this for his own selfish reasons and ego.
Here we go again. What's legal vice what's moral vice what's PC. Blah, blah, blah. Birth Certificate should be biological father and mother - who supplied the DNA. I say this because no matter who parents (or care gives, or rears, whatever symantic you want to use) this living being having the correct DNA chain can be the genetic matter of life and death. Need a bone marrow transplant - DNA. So simple - you provide each US child born with a genetic birth certificate. You then establish a Minor's Guardian Certificate in which lies the responsible adult parties for the care and upkeep of said Minor until reaching Maturity which currently in the USA is 18 years. There solved.
Especially should medical capabilities advance to the point that DNA damage in either biological parent be able to be corrected in the child. It is conceivable that lifesaving medicine could be denied to this child.
The kid is the pawn in the game of who can be the most politically correct. These are people that recognize that their 'relationships' are tenuous, and who are positioning themselves for the legal actions later. Nothing to do with parenting or the child.
How about placing the kids interests above their idiot supposed parents.
legalizing gay marriage is more political than it is to improve the family unit
That's just too weird. I think it's opening a can of worms. A birth certifcate with three parents is just crazy.
Society is getting way too absurd. We're making far too many half assed accomodations for every little off beat fringe mentality out there. It's just laughable.
Wonder which of the lesbians was listed as "father". The pendulum swing to politically correct is getting out of hand. Recent article about rewriting the English language to make it PC fits this situation perfectly. You don't list father and mother. You show them as Parent one, Parent two, and Parent three. Although calling them parents at all may be a bit if a stretch.
And clearly, all 3 parents had the child's interest in mind as they bickered amongst themselves for 2 years.
the question is why do we need gay marriage than ??? To WIN VOTES
There is only one father per child. All the women had to do if they wanted to have a child was to screw a guy(even if they were not attracted to him) and get pregnant. That is the only way to get pregnant.
If there are some hot lesbians who want to get pregnant with no strings attached afterwards I might be able to help them out.
This Florida Judge is a COMPLETE IDIOT!!!! Even he should know that in NATURE, only one MOTHER and one FATHER is biologically possibly.
This Florida Judge is a complete loser!!!! Even he should know that in NATURE, only one MOTHER and one FATHER is biologically possibly.
That's going to be one effed-up kid.