Logan Patmon

Whitney Clark is not your ordinary Central Michigan University student. The 27-year-old Women’s Studies major is expecting twins with her wife Stacy Clark.

Whitney and Stacy used a process called Reciprocal Invertio Fertilization (RIF).  In this process an egg was taken from Stacy fertilized and then placed into Whitney.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Logistics for the Voyage to New York

 

Same sex marriage is not legal in the state of Michigan. Instead Michigan practices presumed parentage, which means the woman who is carrying the child is automatically assumed to be the mother and therefore her name is automatically placed on the birth certificate. Even if it has been document that the women giving birth is a surrogate.

 

When a straight couple uses a surrogate mother to carry their child, the surrogate carriers’ name goes on the birth certificate. The parents would then file legal papers to the name(s) on the birth certificate changed. The parents would be technically adopting their own child.

 

In Michigan however there is no adoption by LGBTQ couples, which means that Stacy could not adopt her own children even though her and her unborn twins share DNA. The couple could not do second parent adoption either because their marriage is not recognized in the state of Michigan. 

 

Whitney, the wife carrying the twines, would be recognized as their mother, while Stacy would have absolutely no legal rights to them. 

 

Stacy and Whitney are still figuring out the logistics for when they will travel to New York to have their twins.  Stacy and Whitney said it’s the best they can do with the circumstances they were given.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little too Late

 

U.S District Judge Bernard Friedman was supposed to rule on Michigan’s constitutional amendment that makes same sex marriage illegal in October but pushed the ruling to February.

 

The case came from a lesbian couple named April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse from Detroit who wanted to jointly adopt each other’s children. The case was originally intended to challenge Michigan’s adoption law in 2012 but was extended to same sex marriage in general.

 

Unfortunately for Whitney and Stacy justice for gay marriage and adoption in the state of Michigan will come a little too late.

 

“The likelihood that all of that will be said and done before the kids come is zero,” said Whitney and Stacy.

 

Stacy and Whitney both still hope that the law banning same sex adoption is struck down because it can have positive benefits for them in the future and can stop other same-sex couples from going through a similar struggle.

 

 

Future Concerns

 

Everyday instances that straight couples may take for granted include interactions with school systems, same sex couples often struggle with.

 

Stacy and Whitney have heard numerous stories from other same-sex couples that details what they might have to deal with in the future. One such instance involved one mom who normally picks the children up from school. When the other mom comes to pick the same child up, Whitney and Stacys’ friends have heard comments from school administration such as, “Well you can’t be the mom, I’ve already met the mom.”

 

“It made us nervous knowing some other couples in the state who’ve had children and come up against backlash from school systems,” said Stacy. “I can’t believe people still say things like that with all the half parents and step parents in the world”.

 

Despite everything Whitney and Stacy have to face within the next few month alone and throughout their twins’ lives they plan to do whatever they have to do to raise their family.

 

Whiney and Stacy keep friends and family updated through Facebook posts and Stacy’s blog  http://2moms2b.blogspot.com.