Creating a Marketplace of Children Ncfamily.Org the Harms of Third Party Reproduction
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Spring 2014 Creating A Marketplace of Children ncfamily.org The Harms of Third Party Reproduction SpringCatawba 2014 Casino • Common Core • Marriage Battle • Plan B • Third Party Reproduction 1 FOLLOW SHARE CONNECT Be a part of the NCFPC online community. We want to hear from you! www.facebook.com/NCFamily.org https://twitter.com/ncfamilyorg FNC | contents feature 22 Creating a Marketplace of Children Children created through third party reproductive means (such as anonymous sperm and egg donation) and their biological parents face unique, lifelong challenges. Fertility industry watchdog Alana Newman, who was conceived through donor-conception, explores the harms of third- party reproduction for donor-conceived children and for society by sharing how donor conception has negatively impacted her life. articles departments 8 Going Off the Reservation numbers 4 Attorney Christopher Derrick provides an exclusive Family facts of interest legal analysis of why the South Carolina-based Catawba Indian Nation lacks the legal authority to open a casino at issue 5 in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. About this magazine Be a part of the 13 Understanding Common Core comment 6 Kristen Blair examines Common Core, the growing Observations from controversy surrounding it, and why a growing number our president NCFPC online community. of parents, teachers, and states are rejecting the national education standards. etcetera 7 17 The War on Marriage Quotes, quips and As the war on marriage escalates nationwide, Alysse other items of interest ElHage provides the latest on the three federal law- suits challenging North Carolina’s marriage laws, and 2014 election 21 presents a timeline of recent court rulings striking down Important dates state marriage protection laws. Trail Life USA 28 30 Plan B Walk Worthy Attorney Mary Summa details the dangers of unfettered access to Plan B emergency contraception, and o!ers sound legislative solutions for North Carolina to protect parental authority and women’s health. 34 Briefs Brittany Farrell compiles the latest in key legal battles across North Carolina, including lawsuits involving academic freedom, school choice, and life issues. 36 Interview: Amber Lehman NCFPC president John Rustin talks with Amber Lehman, CEO of First Choice Pregnancy Solutions in Wake Forest, NC, about her personal history with abortion and the lifesaving work of pregnancy resource centers nationwide. FNC | numbers National Index of Belonging and Rejection Percentage of 15 to 17 year-olds in U.S. who have grown up with both biological married parents Spring 2014 Vol. 9, No.2 ISSN 1935-7761 Living with both married parents ISBN 0-9785025-1-5 Not living with two married parents (whose parents have Editor rejected one another through Alysse ElHage divorce or other means) Associate Editor Brittany Farrell Design Courtney Volker Circulation Catherine Strickland “Fourth Annual Index of Belonging and Rejection,” Marriage and Religion Research Institute at FRC, February 2014 Contributors Kristin Blair, Eileen Brown, Christopher Derrick, Alysse ElHage, Brittany Farrell, Christians and Adoption Alana Newman, Jere Royall, John Rustin, Christians are more than twice as likely to adopt a child. Catherine Strickland, Mary Summa President Adopted A Child John Rustin Family North Carolina is published quarterly by the Seriously Considered North Carolina Family Adoption Policy Council. The North Carolina Family Policy Council is an Practicing Christians independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and Been A Foster Parent education organization organized in 1991 and All Adults recognized for tax-deductible giving by the federal government. Family North Carolina is a registered trademark of the North Carolina Family Seriously Considered Policy Council. Copyright © North Carolina Family Fostering Policy Council. All rights reserved. Internet Visit us on the internet at ncfamily.org, where you Barna Group, “Three Trends on Faith, Work and Calling,” 2/11/14 can read selected stories from this issue, includ- ing endnotes. Publication of website addresses of other organizations featured in our stories does not constitute endorsement by the North Carolina Cohabitation and Abortion Family Policy Council of those groups or the Women aged 15 to 44 who have ever been pregnant contents of those sites. and had one or more abortions Subscriptions If you do not already receive Family North Never cohabitated Carolina, a one-year subscription is available for a suggested donation of $16. Write the North Cohabitated once Carolina Family Policy Council at: PO. Box 20607, Raleigh, NC 27619. To use your credit card visit Cohabitated twice us online at ncfamily.org or call 919-807-0800. Cohabitated three or more times “Demographics of Women Who Report an Abortion,” Marriage and Religion Research Institute, January 2014 FNC | at issue Fresh Voices Spring 2014 It is often said that “good cluding three in North Carolina. Yours truly o!ers things come to those who the latest on the marriage battle in our state, and wait,” and for those of us who provides a timeline of recent federal court rulings, have been working on this along with a map of state marriage laws nationwide. issue of Family North Carolina Plan B emergency contraception is now available magazine over the past several over-the-counter and without age limits, placing the months, that old adage cer- health of young women and the authority of parents tainly rings true! One of the at risk. Attorney Mary Summa explains the history many reasons we are excited of Plan B, the dangers of the drug, and why unfet- about the Spring issue is that tered access to it threatens the rights of parents to in addition to the writers our make healthcare decisions for their daughters. readers have come to know In addition to the legal challenges to North Creating A Marketplace and trust, we are privileged to Carolina’s marriage laws, the State is facing a of Children also include some fresh voices number of other lawsuits to several recently enacted ncfamily.org The Harms of Third-Party Reproduction writing on cutting-edge top- state laws. Turn to the “Briefs” section for the latest ics. We trust that our readers on the legal battles facing North Carolina’s Choose SpringCatawba 2014 Casino • Common Core • Marriage Battle • Plan B • Third Party Reproduction 1 will "nd the variety of unique Life license plates, Woman’s Right to Know law, content inside these pages to and Opportunity Scholarship Program. be both educational and inspirational—and well With all the bad news that permeates our culture worth the wait. today, it is refreshing to pause to consider some- First up, be sure to read the insightful com- thing positive that is happening in communities mentary by NCFPC president John L. Rustin on nationwide. In this issue, we do that by shining a the recent history of elections in North Carolina, spotlight on Trail Life USA, a new youth adventure and why your vote matters more than ever in the organization that organizers hope will serve as an upcoming November 4, 2014 General Election. alternative to the Boy Scouts of America. Couples and individuals struggling with infertil- Finally, don’t miss NCFPC president John Rus- ity are increasingly turning to third party repro- tin’s interview with Amber Lehman, CEO of First written by: duction, such as the use of anonymous egg and/or Choice Pregnancy Solutions in Wake Forest. Amber Alysse sperm donors, to have children—but at what cost? shares the powerful story of how God used her per- In a beautifully written feature essay, Alana New- sonal experience with abortion to minister to others. ElHage, man, who was conceived through donor conception, As you can see by the variety of topics covered in M.A. o!ers an intimate look at the personal and social this magazine, the North Carolina Family Policy consequences of third party reproduction for both Council is not a “one-issue” organization. In fact, children and adults. with the 2014 “Short” Legislative Session of the In an exclusive for the NCFPC, Attorney Chris North Carolina General Assembly just beginning, Derrick blows the lid o! of the South Carolina- many of the topics covered in these pages will be based Catawba Indian Nation’s plans to go “o! the before lawmakers. #roughout the legislative session reservation” to gain authorization to open a casino and beyond, the NCFPC will be serving as a voice in North Carolina. Derrick’s detailed legal analysis for families on the issues of marriage, gambling, of the Catawba Tribe’s plans makes it clear that the parental rights, education, the sanctity of human Tribe has absolutely no legal authority to open a life, and so much more. casino in the Tar Heel State. As always, we cannot do what we do without Nationwide and here in North Carolina, the you—our supporters and partners. So we thank Common Core education standards continue you for reading this issue of Family North Carolina, to cause concern among educators, parents, and and we pray you will use it to educate yourself and lawmakers. Kristen Blair cuts through the confusion others in your community. Most importantly, our surrounding Common Core to provide an in-depth prayer is that this magazine will serve to encourage look at the standards, and why states are increas- you to stay engaged in the public policy arena of O ingly rejecting Common Core as a threat to local North Carolina. and parental authority over education. Homosexual advocacy groups and their allies Alysse ElHage, M.A., is associate director of have once again turned to the courts to launch an research for the North Carolina Family Policy all-out war on marriage, "ling over 60 marriage Council and editor of Family North Carolina. rede"nition lawsuits in state and federal courts, in- Spring 2014 5 FNC | comment Your Vote Counts For decades, North Carolina existed in relative ano- nymity on the national political scene.