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The Lesbian Mothers' Defence Fund: A Resource for Women Fighting Child Custody Cases
Wages Due Lesbians
Year Published: 1978Resource Type: Organization Cx Number: CX863 This fund is a project of "Wages Due Lesbians", a gay women's group active in the International Wages for Housework campaign. It will provide gay women with legal advice and help them to keep or win custody of their children. Abstract: Connexions has published numerous abstracts on the Lesbian Mothers Defence Fund. - - - This abstract was published in Connexions Digest in 1978: This fund is a project of "Wages Due Lesbians", a gay women's group active in the International Wages for Housework campaign. It will provide gay women with legal advice and help them to keep or win custody of their children. - - - This abstract was published in Connexions Digest in 1981: Established in March, 1978, the Lesbian mothers' Defence Fund (LMDF) aims to become a permanent resource for lesbian mothers fighting for child custody by providing pre-legal advice and information on successful battles in Canada, the U.S., and England; referrals to sympathetic. Competent lawyers and other professionals; financial assistance in building a strong court case; and personal and emotional support. The fund has built up a library of accounts of custody struggles to aid mothers to prepare for or avoid custody battles. Monthly pot-luck brunches are held - including mothers, lovers, volunteers and children in order to maintain contact between fund members, to share problems and concerns and to plan LMDF activities. Since the summer of 1979, the LMDF has also been publishing Grapevine, the Fund's newsletter. this newsletter has reached some 2000 individuals and groups across Canada and the USA. The LMDF states that a lesbian mother is like any other mother and should therefore not be deprived of the right to care for her child, on the grounds that she has committed the "crime" of loving another woman. Fund members see the situation changing, but find that "chances are good that an ex-husband or grandparent can challenge a mother's custody on the basis of her lesbianism and win". The Fund is an attempt to correct this situation. It is an effort to help establish the right of lesbian to determine her sexuality without consequently fearing the loss or custody of her children. - - - This abstract was published in Connexions Digest in 1983 and 1984: While battles for the custody of children between straight parents are often difficult and painful experiences, custody battles involving lesbian mothers tend to be much worse. The LESBIAN MOTHERS DEFENSE FUND coordinates aid and support to mothers in their fight for custody and visiting rights. They offer pre-legal advice and information on successful cases referrals to sympathetic expert lawyers, financial help in building a strong court case and personal and emotional support. They also publish a newsletter two or three times yearly called "Grapevine", which covers news of fights for custody in both the U.S. and Canada and reports on support work currently done in this area. - - - This organization no longer exists. Subject Headings |