It is far to early to know what sort of effect Rosie O"Donnel's coming out, and now the most visible gay parent in the country, is going to have on gay adoption, but what it has done is brought the topic to kitchen tables and living rooms across the country.
Researchers estimate that the total number of children nationwide living with at least one gay parent ranges from six to 14 million.
The vast majority of states no longer deny custody or visitation to a person based on sexual orientation. State agencies and courts now apply a "best interest of the child" standard to decide these cases.
Florida's 1977 law is the only law in the nation that bans gays and lesbians form adopting children, this law was passed in the Anita Bryant "Save Our Children" campaign against gay rights. Sadly, six states around the country (Arkansas, Idaho Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah) are considering bans on gay and lesbian foster care and/or adoption.
The American Academy of Pediatrics made a decision earlier this year to support second-parent adoption by same sex couples, but unfortunately this contrasts with legal realities surrounding gay adoption in the United States, where laws differ from state to state.
I think we should encourage Washington State to continue to support gay and lesbians as foster as well as adoptive parents.
All research having been done to date has proven that children being raised in a gay or lesbian household grow up as successfully as children being raised in a heterosexual household. In fact, not a single study has shown that a child has of lesbian or gay parents have been disadvantaged because of their parent's sexual orientation.
Good parenting is not influenced by sexual orientation, but rather by a parent's ability to create a nurturing and loving home.
Like many adults in this country, a majority of gays and lesbians are in committed, stable relationships. Granted, some of these relationships have problems, just like heterosexual relationships.
Now gay marriage is becoming a popular thing which will lead to gay adoption becoming more abundant. ... Laws regarding gay adoption vary from state to state and in Canada. ... In America there is a bit more increase in gay adoption. ... Who Supports Gay Adoptions...and Who Doesn't? People in America are beginning to support Gay Adoption. ...
Gay Adoption Adoption is an alternative for most parents that don't have the opportunity to have children. ... Some states are legalizing gay marriages and therefore doing the same thing for gay adoption. ... The position of gay adoptions is very opinionated. ... Unless the people making the decisions, the government, of gay adoption are gay I don't think they could have a valid reason why a gay adoption could not be. ... Not only do the gay people have an acceptance for gay adoption but so do some others. ...
If her biological mother dies, she may be removed from the only home she knows and placed somewhere else ("Gay Adoption"). ... Opponents of gay adoption claim gays and lesbians are more likely to molest their children. ... If we were to use these studies as a foundation on which to allow gay adoption, the decision would be clear. ... There are many arguments in the much-debated topic of gay adoption. ... Whether you are for or against gay adoption, the question that should be foremost in your mind is "What is in the best interest of th...
The state laws of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Vermont, Connecticut, and New Jersey do allow gay and lesbian second-parent adoption. ... On account of the fact that homosexuals are able to provide the same domestic environment as heterosexuals, gays and lesbians should be considered for adoption. ... The struggles that homosexuals face continues with laws that prevent gay adoption simply exist because the social stress of the standard family unit is so valued. ... The impact that government officials have on society's image of homosexuals is very overpowering and only...
Those who agree with homosexual adoption say there should be no reference to sex or sexuality when a child is considered fro adoption. ... Next, people who are for gay adoption say couples lifestyle is the same as a straight person's, whether male or female, and are capable of providing, care love and commitment to each other and to any child they raise. ... Contrary to what people in favor of gay and lesbian adoption believe, homosexual adoption should not be allowed because it is not normal and it causes a burden. First of all, homosexual adoption should not be allowed because it is n...
Gay marriage and gay couples adopting is a great idea. ... Gay marriage is just as fair as any other couples getting married. ... Something to make everyone happy would also be to help the adoption crisis that this country is facing today. Since homosexual couples cannot pro-create adoption would be an option for them. ... Truth is told if society wasn't so judgmental about gay marriage or people being gay at all then adopting wouldn't be much of an issue right now. ...
Adoption is their answer. ... Those who are against gay-adoption also talk about influences of being gay on children. ... For those who support gay-adoption, some foster homes are extremely unhealthy for children, and are often switched from location to location. ... Attitude towards gays is another factor concerning gay-adoption. ... Those who are against gay-adoption think that gay have no ability of making lasting commitment. ...
Gay adoption is a more controversial topic. ... Legalizing gay adoption benefits both orphans and gay couples and there is no reason for it to be illegal. ... Disallowing gay couples the right to adopt is a form of discrimination and many act as if gay adoption is not righteous. ... Gay adoption not only benefits gay couples but also provides orphans with a home. ... Nevertheless, gay adoption is still a minority and many of them cannot adopt. ...
"When a gay couple sought to adopt a boy- who had leukemia, had been neglected by his biological parents, had lived in five foster homes, and whose adoption was favored by his legal representative- the judge deemed it "not in the interest of a seven-year-old male child to be placed for adoption into the home of a pair of adult male homosexual lovers.""... Although only two states specifically ban adoption by gays, most states discourage it. ... (Wagner 1) Adoption agencies need to quit using sexual orientation as a factor. ... "There are now 36,000 children in this country- in foster homes or ...