Friday 5: Celebrating LGBT Pride Month

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Pride Month is celebrated each June in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots occurring on June 28, 1969. To celebrate LGBT month and kick off Seattle Pride, here are 5 items to add to your reading list.

• The June Section Spotlight in NWLawyer features WSBA’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification Legal Issues Section’s article, “Sexual Orientation Change Efforts and the First Amendment.” Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) is a method of therapy intended to change a person’s orientation from gay to straight. Currently, Washington has proposed legislation that would prohibit licensed mental health professionals from using SOCE on children under 18. The debate brings into questions issues of human rights, effects on patients, and the First Amendment. Read more about SOCE and the First Amendment in NWLawyer.

• The White House’s Champions of Change Program honors ordinary people doing extraordinary things in their community. For June, Champions of Change highlights the efforts of individuals across the LGBT community. Check out those honored as Champions of Change.
• One of the lesser-known provisions of the marriage equality law in Washington is that, as of June 30, existing domestic partnerships will automatically convert to marriages. Attorneys Caleb M. Oken-Berg and André Olive break down the potential immigration law issues that may arise from this auto-conversion in NWLawyer.
• This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Seattle Pride. Actor and activist George Takei will be grand marshal for the Pride Parade downtown on Sunday. You can also find a Pride celebration closer to you.
• When does someone who is “like a mother” to a child actually form a legal relationship with the child? The doctrine of de facto parentage affords parental status to a non-parent in circumstances, as laid out in the 2005 case In re Parentage of L.B. In “Defining Family — De Facto Parentage,” attorney Elizabeth Hoffman lays out what has happened since L.B., including the subsequent controversy and confusions and expansion of the doctrine.

Late-breaking news: On Wednesday, Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler made an announcement clarifying that health insurance policies sold in Washington state cannot discriminate against transgender Washingtonians. The practice, though illegal, has still been common among insurance providers. Read more about the announcement here or on The Stranger’s Slog.