Israel’s Supreme Court has cleared the way for same-sex couples to have children through surrogate mothers, a move hailed by lawmakers and activists as a victory for LGBTQ rights. The court ruled in 2020 that a surrogacy law, which had expanded access to single women but excluded gay couples, “disproportionately harmed the right to equality and the right to parenthood” and was unlawful. It gave the government a year to draw up a new law, but parliament failed to meet the deadline. Under the existing regulations, Israeli same-sex couples looking to become parents cannot engage a surrogate, and are often deterred by the additional costs of finding one abroad. Gay people serve openly in Israel’s military and parliament, and many popular artists and entertainers, as well as the country’s current health minister, are openly gay.

Source: Irish Independent July 11, 2021 14:03 UTC