Gay Adoption Should be Legalized

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Gay adoption by legal couples has become a rising controversy in the past decade, affecting the lives of many children and families. Most states allow gays and lesbians to individually adopt but do not allow them adoption as a legally recognized couple. In 1976, the American Psychological Association declared that “the sex, gender identity, or sexual… orientation of natural, or prospective adoptive or foster parents should not be the sole or primary variable considered in custody or placement cases.” Historically, the benefits of gay adoption have been recognized, but have not yet been legalized. However, adoption by homosexual couples should be legalized to provide children with a new option for a family environment, provide the couples with the right to have children and a family of their own, and because they have the same ability to positively raise their children just as heterosexual couples do. With countless children living among temporary foster families or orphanages, allowing gay adoption would decrease the number of children living in such undesirable situations.

There has been a recent trend of legalization of gay adoption, but most countries do not allow it. Within the past four years, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to allow gay couples to adopt children together. Others countries follow in the same path, such as the Netherlands, South Africa and Sweden, but the United States has not yet implemented this transition (At Issue: Gay Adoption).

“The best interests of the child” has been the reigning say regarding government decisions for centuries (Dickerson). With the topic of gay adoption, the best interests of the child relate to providing a home and family environment for children who may no...

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...rents May Be the Best Parents." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 15 Jan. 2012. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. .

Parker, Jeff. "Justices Leave Fla. Ban on Adoption by Gays Intact." Cartoon. Florida Today. N.p., 2002. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Savage, David G., and Maura Dolan. "Experts Defend Gay Parenting." Los Angeles Times 2013 apr 06: A.1. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. .

Sioco, Maria C. "What Makes a Family? A Closer Look at Gay Adoption." Children's Voice Online. N.p., Nov. 2009. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. .

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