Same-sex parents: fighting for rights and recognition!

Same-sex parents: fighting for rights and recognition!

Pregnancy should be a time full of anticipation for Melanie (37) and her wife (35), but instead of undisturbed preparation, they discovered that same-sex couples are still disadvantaged in Austria. They experienced unpleasant surprises, especially when applying for the so-called “dad month”. The “Dad Month” is a one-month, unpaid leave of absence for new fathers or second parents, which applies after the birth of the child. While heterosexual couples often receive confirmation easily, Melanie and her wife remained in the dark with their request for a long time until they finally found out from the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) that payment of the “family time bonus” was possible, reports VOL.AT.

Melanie and her wife had already faced numerous hurdles when trying to have children. In the case of artificial insemination, they had to cover all costs privately, while heterosexual couples often receive state support. Melanie also needed a notarized contract to commit financially to the child - a requirement that would not affect heterosexual men. This unequal treatment casts a shadow over the already emotionally challenging process of parenthood, as she describes. According to the new legal regulations for the full crediting of parental leave periods against length of service-dependent entitlements since August 1, 2019, same-sex couples can also claim the “dad month” and other benefits, such as employment law-majoros.at reported. The regulation applies to births from September 1, 2019 and stipulates that parents are entitled to these rights regardless of gender as long as the requirements are met.

Although the approval of “dad month” is a bright spot for Melanie, the feeling of insecurity and discrimination remains. “LGBTQI+ issues are being exploited politically,” she says, highlighting that visibility and acceptance in society still falls far short of what is needed. Their experiences and the ongoing fight for equality show that, despite legal progress, the path to full equality is far from over and one has to fight for rights that others take for granted.