Colombian High Court to Hear American Gay Adoption Case

"Lambda Legal staff attorney Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, who worked with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the State Department to ensure that American officials understood that Burr is the rightful adoptive father of the boys, said the case marks the first time that the Constitutional Court will consider the rights of single gay parents. A separate case involving a lesbian couple in Medellín seeking a second-parent adoption for the biological child of one of the women is currently pending before the court.

"Despite Latin American LGBT rights gains in places such as Mexico City and Argentina, Burr’s case shows how the broader homophobic culture of Colombia continues to affect same-sex couples and those who are open about their sexual orientation, Espinoza-Madrigal said. 'Mr. Burr had not done anything wrong. He had gone through all the required adoption procedures and passed them with flying colors. There are no grounds for rescinding the adoption.'"