Now it is possible for both women in a lesbian relationship to be registered as legal parents of their child right from birth, even if the child was conceived through artificial insemination. The parliament decided today.
Until now it has only been the biological mother and father, who were regarded as the legal parents - even if the father was just a sperm donor.
This meant that the so-called medmoder, ie. the other woman in the relationship, had no rights.
"I was so happy when the law was passed. At that time the government program was published, there was a lot of nice people who wrote to me about that particular point and asked when it came to happen, "said SF's family spokesperson Anne Baastrup.
The change was part of the government program, but also Unity, and Liberal Alliance voted for in Parliament.
More equality: The amendment means that co-mothers to children conceived by artificial insemination are now covered by the Children Act on equal footing with fathers.
The change which makes both mothers legal parents right from birth, applies whether a known or anonymous sperm donor is used, and whether the treatment is performed through the NHS or the private sector- at home or at a clinic.
The new option to be registered as a co-mother to a child, applies regardless of whether medmoren (i.e. the non-biological mother) and the child's mother are married, has entered civil partnership or are unmarried.
When a known donor is used, this change also means that it is now up to the birth mother, her same-sex partner and the man to agree on who should be considered the child's two legal parents. In the past the biological parents were automatically given this status if the father/donor was known.
Article:20th June 2013 Source: Retsinformation.dk