Despite Opposition, Life Goes on for Gay Couples With Children

Now legal in nine US states, gay marriage still faces opposition in the form of a law denying federal benefits to married same-sex couples. Meanwhile, life goes on for children with two moms or two dads: Rene and Lauren are one of a million same-sex couples across America raising their family.

Published

7 months ago

Categories

US

Topics

LGBT, United States

Places

United States of America

Transcript

SCRIPT: Snacks, snuggles and play dates: in most ways, Lillian and her two moms are a typical American family -- and next month a little more so. Thanks to Maryland's new law, Lauren and Rene are getting married, and will have the same advantages as other couples. SOUNDBITE 1 Rene Watkins (woman), Lillian's mother(English, 17 sec): "Lauren can now be put on my health insurance. // We had to pay thousands and thousands of dollars and it took months and months of time to be able to get Lauren's name on the birth cirtificate and now // if we have another child // at the hospital, when we fill out the birth certificate, we can put both names on it." Gay marriage remains illegal in 41 out of the 50 US states, but in metropolitan communities like hers, Rene says you'd almost never know it. Public awareness is growing, and with it, acceptance. SOUNDBITE 2 Rene Watkins (woman), Lillian's mother(English, 13 sec): "Now it's, it's your cousin, it's your neighbor, it's your coworker, it's... you know, gay and lesbian people are everywhere and it's not this secret that nobody talked about and that nobody wanted to talk about or were ashamed to talk about." Parents of Lilian's playmates agree. For them, opponents to gay marriage are on the wrong side of history. SOUNDBITE 3 Mia Capen (woman), Camilla's mother (English, 16 sec): "I think their life is no different than ours other than having to deal with people who think that that's wrong. Other than that I think that they are a very typical family, no different than my husband and I. They want the same thing that we want." SOUNDBITE 4 Tabatha Kamman (woman) Cooper's mother (Egnlish, 8 sec): "People are usually like 'Oh, Lillian has two mommies' and then they are like 'oh that's cool' and then that's pretty much the end of the conversation." But Lauren and Rene are hoping for more: even once they tie the knot, their right to be a normal married couple will only extend to the borders of their state. ----------------------- SHOTLIST: BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, NOVEMBER 29, 2012 SOURCE: AFPTV - close pan following Lillian eating - MS Rene whispers something to Lillian - WS Mia Capen enters with daughter - WS to CU Lillian poses for picture with her moms - CU photo of Lauren and Rene - MS Lauren holds Lillian with Rene in kitchen - MS Lauren does Lillian's hair COVER FOR SOUNDBITE 1 - WS Lauren does Lillian's hair COVER FOR SOUNDBITE 1 SOUNDBITE 1 Rene Watkins (woman), Lillian's mother - MS following Lillian from above COVER SHOT FOR SOUNDBITE 1 - CU Rene's face - WS Rene hands book to Lillian - MS Rene reads book to Lillian and Cooper - CU book SOUNDBITE 2 Rene Watkins (woman), Lillian's mother - MS Cooper and Lillian play - MS Mia Capen with her daughter on her lap - CU Mia Capen's daughter SOUNDBITE 3 Mia Capen (woman), Camilla's mother SOUNDBITE 4 Tabatha Kamman (woman) Cooper's mother - WS Lillian bakes with her moms - MS Lillian and Rene stir batter - MS Lillian points to her moms - MS Rene, Lauren and Lillian baking