One of the most controversial movements sweeping the nation today supports the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals. While the right to same-sex marriage is at the movement’s forefront, restrictive adoption laws contribute to the plight of the gay community. Much like the legalization of same-sex marriage, adoption laws vary from state-to-state. The Human Rights Campaign chart “Parenting Laws: Joint Adoption” reports that while the majority of states favor gay adoption or handle petitions on a case to case basis, 12% set barriers for equal treatment, and 4% consisting of Utah and Mississippi deny adoption to gay couples completely. But with over 250,000 children in the foster care system and 20,000 who do not see adoption yearly, can states really afford to exclude same-sex households as potential forever homes (Adopt US Kids)? Gay couples should be allowed to adopt because it would be beneficial to the states, it is better than a child remaining in foster care, and sexual orientation does not affect one’s ability to care for a child.
Allowing gay couples to adopt benefits states by reducing the number of children in the foster care system. By limiting adoption to straight individuals or married couples states in opposition to the “gay lifestyle” encourage alternative methods for same-sex couples to become parents. These methods include moving out-of-state, utilizing sperm and egg banks/donors, pursuing surrogacy, or adopting internationally. While states like Utah and Mississippi have additional laws in place to avoid these types of instances, gay people are still becoming parents. Research performed by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law revealed that in 2010 Salt Lake City, Utah and th...
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...unwritten, socially expressed religious laws are not related to a person’s ability to care for a child. For example, Utah, a primarily Mormon state, does not allow any couple to pursue joint or secondary adoption if they are not married. They are using adoption to push an agenda which has nothing to do with the practical aspects of parenting. Even by Utah’s admission, the requirements of fulfilling the needs of a child are separate from observance of religious lifestyle. According to the Utah’s Children and Family Services Adoption Connection site successful adoptive families have: “(1) Appropriate motivations and realistic expectations concerning the special needs of the children; (2) A strong commitment to adoption; (3) An ability to sustain long-term relationships; (4) Flexibility and emotional openness, good social support systems and knowledge of resources.”
Second parent adoption is an important tool utilized by same-sex couples in an effort to protect their parental rights in states where same sex marriage is not recognized. Although gay and lesbian paren...
Discrimintaion and equality in society is faced amongst people every day. One certain subject that seems to get most of this attention is whether or not homosexual couples should be able to adopt. Same sex couples should be able to adopt children for many reasons. Children that are raised by same sex parents are predominantly taught to be more open minded, have a greater sense of tolerance, and are thought of to be role models for equality in relationships and life. Most would say that these children will face issues regarding their parents sexual orientation, but this is not so. Children of same sex parents have studied to show very few differences in achievement, mental health, and social function as a child that is raised in a heterosexual household. Same sex parents will allow their child to express themselves through different talents and other attributes that there child seems to be indulged in. These children are often showing more loving, nurturing ,and outgoing behaviors that is exposed to them through gay parenting.
Perhaps most indicative of the law's blatantly homophobic basis is the fact that the state has no restrictions on using gays and lesbians to relieve the burden on the foster care system. The state frequently uses gay couples to provide homes for disabled and terminally ill children, but refuses to recognize that thi...
Being for or against gay and lesbian marriage has been the topic that has started a great amount of controversy in the U.S. for the past few years. In some states gay marriage has been already been approved, but in others it has been denied. The next hot topic in the U.S. refers to the approval of gay and lesbian adoption. There are many negative and positives to this subject, whether society is for, or against gay and lesbian marriage. The act of gay and lesbian adoption should not be allowed because, yes its true we don’t get to choose our parents but we should at least be able to have a father and mother, not two fathers and or two mothers. It is also not fair for an innocent little one to get put on the spotlight and get dirty looks from others because of the adults’ choices. The embarrassment of not having a mother or father can be so overwhelming on such children that it could unfortunately lead them to taking bad actions.
One of the major controversial issues in this era is adoption and parenting of children by sex same couples. It is depressing and overwhelming to know that while various people around the world disapprove this adoption thousands of innocent kids aspire to be loved and protected without stereotypes.
Imagine a child no more than three years old, orphaned at a young age and has spent the last year in and out of foster homes. A family becomes interested in adopting this young child but are denied because the couple was two men rather than a man and a woman. They were denied because the agency in their area was a Catholic adoption agency. Now the child spends his life from one foster home to the next until the child turns eighteen, this child doesn’t go to college and stays at a minimum wage job for the rest of their life, had the child been adopted he would have had the parents to help him go to college and have a more productive life.
Homosexual couples should be granted the same freedom to adopt children like heterosexual couples because there are so many children in the foster care who need a nurturing home; it is narrow-minded to think that only heterosexual couples have the capability of raising a child properly; and it is prejudice to exclude homosexuals from adopting a child based on their sexuality. A parent-child relationship may be one of the most sacred and cherished gifts in life but it is also a privilege. The main purpose of adoption is not just for the satisfaction of a couple, regardless of their sexuality—ultimately, it is for the well-being of the adopted child.
The marriage and birth certificate are not a powerful Carlo L. Bella, a lawyer who specializes in same-sex marriage issue, stated “an adoption approved by a judge carries more weight in other jurisdictions”(qtd in McKinley).
In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms. Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes.
Since the early 1900s, homosexual people have become increasingly popular and greatly resisted. People that are homosexual face barriers placed upon them by the political system and society. Due to these challenges, homosexuals fought to have the same marital and parental rights as heterosexual people. Same-sex adoption is not prohibited in most states in the United States of America and many places worldwide. Family is not determined solely on blood relations and should be legalized in all parts of the world; because homosexual parents are just as good as heterosexual parents, if not better, and can provide an enriching second chance for many children waiting to be adopted.
As previously stated the issue of same sex adoption is one of the most controversial topics in today’s Family Law across the country and with good reason. Given that this involves the upbringing of human beings who are the future of our society, it is extremely important to make sure that they are given the best care and best influences in their lives in order to make good moral and educated decisions in their future lives. Same sex parenting may not be as bad as society has made it seem but it absolutely has to be socially and scientifically proven before any more steps are taken in this matter because, after all, it is in the “best interest of the child.”
Homosexuality is becoming more and more accepted and integrated into today’s society, however, when it comes to homosexuals establishing families, a problem is posed. In most states, homosexuals can adopt children like any other married or single adult. There are many arguments to this controversial topic; some people believe that it should be legal nationally, while others would prefer that is was banned everywhere, or at least in their individual states. There are logical reasons to allow gays to adopt children, but for some, these reasons are not enough. The main issue really is, what is in the best interest of the child? This type of problem isn’t really one with causes, effects, and solutions, but one with pros and cons. Like any other adoption situation, a parent prove themselves to be responsible and capable enough to raise a child on their own, or with a spouse.
According to Elizabeth A. Harris on New York Times “In some states, like Maryland and Massachusetts, adoption agencies are expressly prohibited from discriminating based on sexual orientation”.According to Cathy Sakimura deputy director and family law director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, “ To know that you could drive into another state and not be considered a parent anymore, that’s a pretty terrifying situation.” I agree with both of these quotes because you should not judge someone's parenting skills because of their sexual
It 's 2015, same sex marriage is legalized in the U.S., yet not all adoption agencies allow homosexual couples to adopt. It is only allowed by law to have homosexuals to a joint adoption in 11 states. Adoption has been around since the 1920’s and has been a way to help orphan children gain a family. Not everyone is willing to adopt, whether it is because they don 't want a child, or they have children of their own, and it is not in their budget to adopt another. In the end there is still a large quantity of orphaned children hoping and waiting for a chance to be loved and welcomed by a family. There is an estimated amount of 153 million orphans world -wide and there are 397,122 children in the United States without a permanent family or a home. There is a way to fix that by allowing gay couples to adopt. Throughout the years America has proven their acceptance
Someone is adopting everyday children all over the world. The children wait joyfully for couples to come and adopted them. So If a gay or a lesbian couple goes to adopted a child from a foster home they would have to go though more hassle then a straight couple would.