Doesn’t it seem odd that in 2014 we are still discussing family equality? Shouldn’t all families be considered equal? What is a family? Fifty years ago a family was comprised of a mother, father and children. Divorce was a rarity.

Father supported the family financially and mother’s role was at home raising the children and keeping house. Fast forward to 2014. Life has changed significantly and so has the family. Divorce, remarriage, adoption, surrogacy, single parenthood and same-sex relationships and marriage have changed what the family looks like and the roles within the family. The traditional family structure has given way to an unstructured family where people are free to create any family unit that works for them. Love and caring transcends structure.

What does a family look like today? According to parenting.com fewer than 20% of American households are made up of a married man and woman with their children. Census data shows that 26% of all households are made up of a single person, living alone. Cohabitating couples and same-sex couples are on the rise. There are 3 million LGBT parents in America and their 6 million children in the U.S.

The Yale University Library and the Family Equality Council are partnering to preserve the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parent equality movement. Family Equality which represents the 3 million LGBT parents in America and their 6 million children, will deed to Yale all historical materials related to the organization and its role in the LGBT family equality movement. This important agreement will ensure the preservation of more than 30 years of materials related to the founding, growth, and expansion of Family Equality, and documents the organization’s ongoing efforts to advance equality for families with LGBT parents. The materials will be housed in the Yale Library’s Manuscripts and Archives department. They will be part of a growing collection of primary source materials documenting the history of LGBT people at the local, national, and international levels.

All families should be treated equally and congratulations to the Yale University Library and the Family Equality Council for preserving the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parent equality movement. This work is vitally important.