Vasco Pedro da Gama ( l.) and Dorival Pereira de Carvalho Júnior, parents of the young Theodora, 5 yrs. old. Ricardo Boni/Agência BOM DIA

Brazilian Judge OKs Gay Couple Adoption

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff (English)

(Sao Paulo, Brazil) A judge in Sao Paulo has affirmed a lower court ruling granting a gay couple the right to adopt a five-year old girl.

One of the partners, Vasco Pedro da Gama, had already adopted the girl. His partner, Dorival Pereira de Carvalho sought to have his name added to the birth certificate.

In July a judge ruled that there is no valid reason for denying a same-sex male couple the right to adopt children. Two lesbian couples previously had been granted adoption rights, but courts had denied the same right for gay male couples.

This weeks appellate court ruling ends a year of legal battles for the couple. Their lawyer said the ruling would make it easier for other gay couples to adopt.

Da Gama, 33, and de Carvalho, 41, have been together for 14 years and own a model agency and beauty salon according to Radio Brazil.

The men met with a psychologist, social assistants and a public prosecutor before going to court, arguing that Brazil's Psychology Council had declared that "homosexuality was not a disease, a disturbance or a perversion."

The men say that they would like to adopt a second girl, between the ages of two and four.

In Brazil, civil unions between same-sex couples are allowed in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. LGBT rights groups are fighting to extend that to other states.

©365Gay.com 2006

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