KidSide Newsletter September 2022
LGBTQ Families In Court
The Honorable Scott M. Bernstein | sbernstein@jud11.flcourts.org
Elizabeth F. Schwartz, Esq. | liz@elizabethschwartz.com
LGBTQ folks gained substantial legal rights in recent years, including the right to marry, to divorce, and to become parents. But look no further than Justice Clarence Thomas’s recent concurrence in the Dobbs opinion, however, to see that rights granted by a Supreme Court opinion are precarious. Justice Thomas invited the entire Court to revisit the rights to sexual intimacy and same-sex marriage. This sent many in the LGBTQ community reeling.
According to the Williams Institute, a public policy think tank which focuses on issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity, roughly 4.6% of Floridians are LGBTQ and 24% of LGBTQ people in Florida are raising children. A recent global study indicated that 1 in 5 young adults born after 1997 (known as Gen Z) identifies as something other than straight. Florida ranks third in the nation for the most same-sex couples, behind only New York and California. LGBTQ legal issues are likely to become more, not less, prominent in our law practices and court cases.
The term LGBTQ refers to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning individuals. It can take a bit of practice to get used to new acronyms and concepts. For tips, ask a teenager. Younger folks tend to be more comfortable with the fluidity of gender and sexual orientation and with the idea that both exist on a spectrum that is neither binary nor fixed.
Advocating For LGBT Youth In Today’s World
Robert Latham, Esq. | rlatham@law.miami.edu
Maritza Fernandez, Miami Law Class of 2022 | mcf181@law.miami.edu
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth are experiencing legal attacks on their wellbeing of proportions not seen in America since the 1960s. In the past two years, state laws across the nation have significantly restricted their right to control when and to whom they come out, authorized school administrators to require medical examination of their bodies, silenced their teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ experiences and history in class, and barred access to necessary and appropriate healthcare. At the same time, concerned adults who want to support LGBTQ+ youth are publicly accused of child molestation or child endangerment, teachers and librarians who offer books on LGBTQ+ stories are fired and harassed, and parents who seek medical care for their transgender children are investigated for child abuse. For LGBTQ+ children and youth, it is an isolating, dangerous, and scary time to exist.
On top of these stressors, LGBTQ+ youth also experience the same difficulties as other youth, often at higher rates. Many suffer from poverty, physical and sexual abuse, and struggles with psychological and social functioning. They have parents and families that need help and support due to mental health disorders, lack of opportunities, and community violence. They wind up in foster care at rates far beyond their numbers, comprising up to 20% of the system in some areas. LGBTQ+ youth also experience targeting by police, discrimination in workplaces, exclusion from community support programs. LGBTQ+ youth of color experience these negative outcomes at even higher rates.
Real Reviews From Real People
Here is what real people are saying about the services being funded by KidSide. The below testimonial is from a divorcing couple receiving co-parenting counseling.
“This process has opened our eyes on how to handle different co-parenting situations in a more productive manner. It was helpful to have a neutral third party facilitate our communication. The best part is we see improvement with our children. They are more relaxed and less stressed as a direct result of us getting along better.“
By a couple separated for 1 year with 2 children and a pending divorce.
Your Donations At Work
Havana Nights Nostalgia Sold Out
This event is currently sold out to the general public, but tickets are still available for new partners! Sign-up today to become a KidSide partner to receive tickets and to be featured at Havana Nights Nostalgia.
Unified Children’s Court Wall Of Honor
Kidside congratulates Andi Steinacker on being inducted into the Unified Children’s Court Wall of Honor. This is a very prestigious honor our Advisory Committee Chair has earned through her many years of service.
Welcome To Our New Partners
Welcome to our new Bronze level partners Robert Singer Mediation, Estevez-Pazos Law Firm, Greenspoon Marder LLP, and National Association of Divorce Professionals. Get recognized in the KidSide newsletter and on social media by becoming a KidSide partner. Thank you to all of our existing partners for their continued support of KidSide.
Support the work of Family Court Services by donating to KidSide!
Back to School – A Family Court Perspective
Written by Judge Spencer Multack smultack@jud11.flcourts.org
By the time you are reading this, school has just started and your kiddos are enduring the transition from summer vacation to homework and projects. However, my colleagues and I on the family court bench have been fielding “back to school” issues for a few months now. This article will address some of the issues we are addressing in family court and challenges some families face when the school year resumes.
Other parents wish to relocate to another city or state, which in turn affects the children’s education. Schooling is just one factor a court considers when determining whether or not to permit relocation. Guided by Florida Statute 61.13001, the Court is required to weigh specific factors to determine whether the child’s best interest would be served by a move more than 50 miles away.
Pointers For Starting the School Year
Dr. Ronda Fuchs, Psy.D, Accredited Collaborative Family Law Facilitator ronda.fuchs@gmail.com
![](https://79z2c0.a2cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/944944000001708004_zc_v9_1661139281437_10_ways_to_help_your_student_start_the_school_year_on_the_right_foot__r5di6h.jpg")
With summer coming to a close, it’s time to start thinking about the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. For many families, back to school season is a stressful time of year, and it can be especially challenging for children of divorced or separated parents. For those who are recently separated, this is the time to set up a precedent for harmonious co-parenting when it comes to your child’s education and overall school experience. For those who have been divorced for some time, it is an opportunity to make changes and let “bygones be bygones” for the sake of your child, and to help facilitate a smooth transition to the next school year and years to come.
Real Reviews From Real People
“Co-Parenting counseling has allowed us to communicate better….it is nice to be able to talk again. Our increased communication increases our ability to communicate and collaborate to meet our child’s needs during this difficult time.”
By a couple separated for 4 months with 1 child who has been married for 11 years and was referred for co-parenting counseling paid for by KidSide.
Get Involved With Give Miami Day
Thanks To Our Partners
Welcome to our new Bronze level partners, Abramowitz & Associates, Leinoff & Lemos P.A., Sandy T. Fox, P.A., and Orshan Spahn & Fernandez-Mesa. Get recognized in the KidSide newsletter and on social media by becoming a KidSide partner. Thank you to all of our existing partners for their continued support of KidSide..
For more information, please reach out to Adelmis Bohigas-Naderpour, Esq., Executive Board Chair of KidSide at abnaderpour@abnlawgroup.com
Support the work of Family Court Services by donating to KidSide!