Angela D Giampolo

August 10, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

All across the United States, alternative families are modernizing the American dream. In a new take on traditional household arrangements, "Daddy" and "Papa" trade off walking the dog, driving the kids to soccer practice, and juggling household chores. However, there is complexity hidden in the mundane—it is unlikely that this idyllic snippet of family life came so easily into being.

By Angela D. Giampolo

6 minute read

August 09, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

All across the United States, alternative families are modernizing the American dream. In a new take on traditional household arrangements, "Daddy" and "Papa" trade off walking the dog, driving the kids to soccer practice, and juggling household chores. However, there is complexity hidden in the mundane—it is unlikely that this idyllic snippet of family life came so easily into being.

By Angela D. Giampolo

6 minute read

July 31, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

On July 17, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled in a 3-2 decision that sexual orientation discrimination is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because it's a form of "sex" discrimination, which is explicitly forbidden. The EEOC relied on its previous decision finding that Title VII bars discrimination on the basis of gender identity, protecting transgender employees, but this groundbreaking decision effectively declares that employment discrimination against gay, lesbian and bisexual workers is unlawful in all 50 states.

By Angela D. Giampolo

6 minute read

July 30, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

On July 17, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled in a 3-2 decision that sexual orientation discrimination is illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because it's a form of "sex" discrimination, which is explicitly forbidden. The EEOC relied on its previous decision finding that Title VII bars discrimination on the basis of gender identity, protecting transgender employees, but this groundbreaking decision effectively declares that employment discrimination against gay, lesbian and bisexual workers is unlawful in all 50 states.

By Angela D. Giampolo

6 minute read

July 16, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

The historic June 26 decision on marriage equality has given the LGBT community and our country a new civil right, placing it firmly alongside Brown v. Board of Education and Loving v. Virginia. However, history has shown that even the most important decisions can still create challenges when people attempt to exercise their newfound rights.

By Angela D. Giampolo

7 minute read

July 16, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

The historic June 26 decision on marriage equality has given the LGBT community and our country a new civil right, placing it firmly alongside and . However, history has shown that even the most important decisions can still create challenges when people attempt to exercise their newfound rights.

By Angela D. Giampolo

7 minute read

June 08, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

A couple of weeks ago a story broke that got the heterosexual community in a frenzy—Norman MacArthur and Bill Novak of Bucks County petitioned a court to dissolve their legal adoption so they could get married. MacArthur and Novak were father and son in the eyes of the law for 15 years and together as partners in life for more than 50 years. Because of historical opposition to gay marriage, long-term, same-sex couples have historically adopted one another for legal protection; we couldn't sit around and wait for marriage equality to show up, so we creatively circumvented the negative outcomes that default laws imposed on the LGBT community who were considered "legal strangers" to one another.

By Angela D. Giampolo

5 minute read

June 05, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

A couple of weeks ago a story broke that got the heterosexual community in a frenzy—Norman MacArthur and Bill Novak of Bucks County petitioned a court to dissolve their legal adoption so they could get married. MacArthur and Novak were father and son in the eyes of the law for 15 years and together as partners in life for more than 50 years. Because of historical opposition to gay marriage, long-term, same-sex couples have historically adopted one another for legal protection; we couldn't sit around and wait for marriage equality to show up, so we creatively circumvented the negative outcomes that default laws imposed on the LGBT community who were considered "legal strangers" to one another.

By Angela D. Giampolo

5 minute read

May 11, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

For thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youths, coming out to their families is often a frightening and life-changing event. Unfortunately, this event is often made even more frightening by their parents ordering them out of the family home. Because some parents, far too frequently, disown their children after learning that their child is gay, there is a disproportionately high amount of LGBT youths in the foster care system. Every year around 3,000 children, in the city of Philadelphia, enter the foster care system, and as many as 40 percent of those children identify themselves as being a member of the LGBT community. Sadly, once in the system, they continue to face discrimination, harassment, abuse and neglect because of their sexual orientation.

By Angela D. Giampolo

6 minute read

May 10, 2015 | The Legal Intelligencer

For thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youths, coming out to their families is often a frightening and life-changing event. Unfortunately, this event is often made even more frightening by their parents ordering them out of the family home. Because some parents, far too frequently, disown their children after learning that their child is gay, there is a disproportionately high amount of LGBT youths in the foster care system. Every year around 3,000 children, in the city of Philadelphia, enter the foster care system, and as many as 40 percent of those children identify themselves as being a member of the LGBT community. Sadly, once in the system, they continue to face discrimination, harassment, abuse and neglect because of their sexual orientation.

By Angela D. Giampolo

6 minute read