Gay Adoption

Iesha Clark SOC 210, OL1 Shawn Allen Hutton March 22, 2013

Gay Adoption
Gay adoption is exploding all across the world. So many people want to adoption children, more than they want to have them. Gay adoption has just recently emerged in the last 20 twenty years, but it has existed for quite some time. Celebrity Rosie ODonnell adopted a child, and made gay adoption more popular, and made it more accepting for people. Gay adoption is not exactly legal in all 50 states, but it is legal in about a dozen states. In Florida, gay adoption is outlawed; meaning that it is not allowed a period. Since there are so many problems with gay adoption, many gay couples are adopting internationally. With international adoption, there comes the problem that the future parent must always stay closeted throughout the entire adoption process. If they do not stay closet, then there is a chance that they country will not allow them to adopt the child. Only single parent adoption is available, but once the child is safely in America, then the other parent can file for second parent adoption rights. According to a study, there more than one out of three lesbians that give birth to children, and one out of six gay males that either adopt, or father a child. There are more than 16,000 children in America that are adopted by either a gay or lesbian parent. About 14,000 foster children are living, or adopted by gay and lesbian parents. Three percent of same-sex parents are raising/parenting foster children in America. Although gay and lesbian parents are providing loving and caring homes for children, they are also helping the economy. Mainly without lesbian and gay parents, the government and states will lose out on a lot of money. In 2009, about 19 percent of same-sex couples have reported of having had adopted a child, which has increased from 8 percent since 2000. About 115,000 children in the United States are waiting to be adopted, as well as the acceptance of gays and lesbians in America. In some states, gays and lesbians are allowed to adopt. The reality is we really need foster and

adoptive parents, and it doesnt matter what the relationship is. If they can provide a safe and loving home for a child, isnt that what we want (Weir, Moira)? Gays and lesbians play a huge role in adoption. In the article Adoptions Rise by Same-sex Couples, Despite Legal Barriers, Mr. Samuels states that the child welfare system has come to understand that placing a child in a gay or lesbian family is no greater risk than placing them in a heterosexual family. Children are safe with either a homosexual or heterosexual family. Over the past five years, the numbers of adoption agencies have doubled to about 50 because gay and lesbians want to be parents. Even though there is an acceptance for gay and lesbian families, there is still discrimination mostly in conservative states, so adoption agencies like to work like an underground railroad. Same-sex parents that adopt are more likely to be more affluent and educated. In the United States, there are at least two gay/lesbian families that are raising adopted children. Gay marriage has attracted more attention than gay adoption has. There are many barriers that gays and lesbians encounter through an adoption process. Some adoption agencies like to find traditional families, such as two-parents (mother and father), or a single parent families. In the United States, there are no real standards for gays and lesbians adopting children. Out of the 50 states in the U.S., Florida is the only state that really prohibits gays and lesbians adopting children. Vermont, California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are the only four states that give joint adoption for gay and lesbian couples. In some states, welfare/adoption agencies consider gay and lesbians successful and potential adoptive parents. Over many years, fear and discrimination have been insulted into gay and lesbians about adopting children. Countries like Guatemala, China, and Thailand have become more restrictive, and have prohibited gays and lesbians from adopting, even though adoption is more flexible. Recently, gays and lesbians have challenged social workers and adoption agencies of their commitment to

multiculturalism. The often used words best interest of the child, is commonly used with the welfare system when it comes to gay and lesbian adoptive parents. In the states that allow gay and lesbian adoption, professionals, social works, and judges are involved in deciding where to place the child, and what the best interest for the child will be. Welfare workers make their recommendations on the child by determining their best interest of the child. They do not go by what is best for the future adoptive parents, or the workers personal opinion, and the agency. If there is an excessive need for adoptive homes, certain applicant families might become desirable, or even trust worthy for adoption. No evidence has come up stating that having gay or lesbian parents have a negative effect on children. Sometimes when social works agree with placement of a child with a lesbian or gay couple, they will be subjected to ostracism, ridicule, and career problems. Some works attitude, or behavior changes when they are responsible for the placement of a gay or lesbian adoption. Social workers will sometimes follow the actions of others that they may perceive as prestigious or that are just like them to make the right decision. A lot of welfare agencies prefer to have middle-class, single parent, or poorer families to adopt children, than have gay or lesbian couples/single-parent to adopt. In the article Coming out of the Closet: Opening Agencies to Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents, Ryan states that, in 1996 he found that 14 percent of social workers he surveyed would not place a child with a gay man or lesbian, because they believed these placements were either against the law or in opposition to agency policy, neither of which was true. A child should have the right to loving parents; a child should not be adopted. Most statutes contain a common element in the states that permit gay and lesbian adoption. Same-sex families have become a part of the American society in a quiet way. In the United States, there are about 1 million gay and lesbian families raising about 2 million children.

In New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago, those few states have the highest percentage for gay and lesbian families raising children. In a recent parenting poll, about 30 percent of people state that they have a relative or a friend that is a same-sex parent. About 50 percent of the United States still oppose to gay/lesbian marriage, and gay and lesbian adoption. After a child is adopted by a gay or lesbian couple, the couple will suffer a huge financial change and legal status because some states are still opposed to gay and lesbian adoption. In a recent survey, 3 out of five people say that when it comes to same-sex couples that have children, they view them as families. When it comes to lesbian and gay adoption, there are many different options from where they can adopt from. They can adopt from another family, foster care, or they can adopt internationally. It depends on welfare agencies, adoption agencies, and country/states on whether or not the gay/lesbian couples can adopt or not. During the adoption process, the adoption home study is the first thing that happens. Many gay or lesbian couples have lied in the past/present about their marital status, and whether or not they are gay. Some lesbian or gay couples say their partner is their friend or roommate when it comes to adopting a child; just so they will not get rejected. Although it is legal to withhold information about your status, but it is not legal to tell a little lie when that certain question is asked. There is no exact number of how many gay or lesbian couples are adopting. The number is unknown because gay/lesbian parents fear that society will regard them in a different way. There have been studies done on many same-sex couples to see how the child is doing, and how the child is being raised by their gay/lesbian adoptive parents. Sometimes in the studies that have been done, some researchers are biased against the couples because they object to same-sex adoption. When it comes to gay and lesbian groups, they show positive results for

adoption, while conservative, or religious groups show negative results. During studies, researchers have not found a negative study stating that gay or lesbian parents having a bad effect on children, or a disadvantage. When gay and lesbian couples adopt a child for the first time, they will need support from family and friends. Some parents of gay couples are upset and not around after their child came out, but after their child adopts a baby, they come back around into their childs life. Gay adoption is the most popular method when it comes to building a family. In the Unites States, most of the Americans do not have any sense of value or prevalence for gay/lesbian parenting. There are gay household books for children in many libraries all across America. For friends and family, there are gay/lesbian parenting books giving helpful information on any particular challenges raised by gay parenting. Over the recent years, empirical, and clinical knowledge of gay/lesbian adoption has increase dramatically. If adoptive agencies go the nontraditional way with placement resources because they do not want to place a child in gay/lesbian home; then children with have a longer wait in foster care homes with permanence.

References Maxwell, L. (2008). Building Rainbow Families. 5. Retrieved from www.LibraryJournal.com Ryan, S. Pearlmutter, S, Groza, V. (2004). Coming Out of the Closet: Opening Agencies to Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Praents. 12 OnDerko, P. The (Same-sex) Family Next Door. (2011) Craft, C. Gay Adoption Basics. Retrieved from www.About.com Tavernise, S. (2011). Adoptions Rise by Same-sex Couples Despite Legal Barriers.