Northern Ireland Legalizes Gay Adoption

At least there's some good news this week. Via BBC News:

A ban on gay and unmarried couples applying to adopt children in Northern Ireland has been removed. They may now apply in the same way as heterosexual couples. Health Minister Edwin Poots had tried to challenge an appeal court decision to extend adoption rights to gay couples. However, the Supreme Court said the Department of Health's argument for appeal did not meet the criteria. Previously, a single gay or lesbian person could adopt children in Northern Ireland, but a couple in a civil partnership could not. In June, the Court of Appeal ruled that the ban based on relationship status was held to discriminate against those in civil partnerships and to breach their human rights. Northern Ireland was the only part of the United Kingdom where that policy existed. Now, the law in Northern Ireland is in line with the rest of the UK.

RELATED: In October, Northern Ireland's Equality Commission endorsed same-sex marriage and demanded that the issue be put forward in the legislature. The Democratic Unionist Party has so far blocked any attempts.