Taylor Ellison

Hailee Farquharson

Myztiq Robinson

Ana Wiltse

Mr. Gross

English 12 B

16 November 2018

Same-Sex Couples Adopting Children

Kristy and Dana Dumont along with Erin and Rebecca Busk-Sutton were two same-sex

couples ready and willing to adopt a child. The Dumonts saw recruitment emails that featured

photos and bios of children in foster care and were instantly in love. ¨They felt that they could

provide a loving family for a child in need.¨ They contacted a state-contracted adoption agency

to begin the process. When the agency found out they were two women, they told them that they

do not work with same sex-couples. A similar problem happened when the Busk-Sutton couple

tried to adopt a child out of foster care (Cooper 1). Same-sex couples must be able to adopt

children. Children often develop mental disorders while in foster care. Children are also being

abused in foster care. Many children still need to be adopted. People who disagree with

homosexuality have tried to pass laws that discriminate against same-sex couples who want to

adopt children. Children raised by same-sex couples are more accepting of those who are

different from the societal norms and there are same-sex couples who are ready and willing to

adopt children.
 Mental disorders often begin to develop for children who are in foster care. According to

an article from ​Psychiatric Times​, “The prevalence of both medical and mental health problems

among children in foster care is high. One study of children in foster care aged 2 to 14 years

identified nearly 50% with clinically significant mental health problems” (Scheid 1). Half of the

children in foster care have been diagnosed with clinical mental health problems. Mental health

is crucial when it comes to child development. Disorders such as Depression and Anxiety can

often be left untreated due to neglect by a foster parent. Children have little control when it

comes to their mental stability. If they do not have a support system to turn to they will have

difficulty coping with the emotions they are feeling. A child’s mental health can carry into

adulthood. An article from ​Psychology Today​ states, “Children who are abused, physically,

emotionally, sexually or neglected, have different adult brains than their counterparts who were

not abused. Current research suggests that those who were abused are left vulnerable to a lifetime

of mental illness and psychological problems…” (Scharff 1). It is atrocious that a majority of

children grow up unloved and uncared for. These children are ejected into the world without

anyone to guide them through the hardships they will face.

Children in foster care are often sexually and/or physically abused or neglected. An

article in Psychology Today written by Susanne Babbel says, “Once placed in foster care, a child

is not always guaranteed to be safe from abuse. In fact, Liftingtheveil.org cites a troubling

statistic from one study, claiming that over 28% of children in New York alone are abused while

in ‘the system.’ However, former foster children I've worked with believe that the incidents of

in-foster-care abuse are much higher” (Babbel 1). With same-sex couples able to adopt children,

this percentage will decrease and more children will be adopted. According to ​Lifelong
Adoptions,​ “Same-sex parents in the United States are four times more likely than different-sex

parents to be raising an adopted child. Among couples with children under the age of 18 in the

home, 13% of same-sex parents have an adopted child, compared to just 3% of different-sex

parents” (LGBT Adoption 1). This shows that if same-sex couples are able to adopt, then there

will be a significant decrease in the number of children in the foster care system.

Many children are waiting and still need to be adopted. In the article ​Why Gay Parents

Are Good Parents​ written by Jennifer Chrisler, it is stated, “ Foster children need loving parents

and stable homes. Many of the 120,000 kids that the Department of Health and Human Services

says are in the foster care system, up for adoption, could have permanent homes if gay people

could adopt them” (Chrisler 1). Young boys and girls are stuck waiting in foster care to be

adopted by a family that will love and support them. Homosexual couples not being able to adopt

hurts the children waiting in foster care more than anyone else. Those young boys and girls are

just waiting for their family to come. Every day these boys and girls are not meeting their

families they may begin to wonder why no one wants to adopt them. In the article ​Overview of

Lesbian and Gay Parenting, Adoption, and Foster Care​ it is stated, “ These children languish for

months, even years, within state foster care systems that lack qualified foster parents and are

frequently riddled with other problems” (Overview of Lesbian and Gay Parenting, Adoption, and

Foster Care 1). Children in foster care can be in any given foster home for months and even

years without being adopted by a loving family. While same-sex couples are unable to adopt,

thousands of children are going unadopted and just waiting in foster care. If same-sex couples

were able to adopt children without judgment and or hassle from those involved in the adoption

process more children would be able to find their families and their forever home.
 People who disapprove of homosexuality have attempted to pass laws that discriminate

against same-sex couples who want to adopt children. A ​New York Times ​article states, “Gov.

Mary Fallin of Oklahoma signed a bill on Friday that gay rights groups said would allow private

adoption agencies to discriminate against L.G.B.T. couples on religious grounds when placing

children. The law would allow the agencies to choose not to place children in certain homes if it

‘would violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.” (Fortin 1). Laws

like these are unfair to children hoping to be adopted and to any same-sex couples that may want

to adopt them. It is thoughtless to stop a child from being adopted to a good family simply

because of an agency’s religious beliefs. An article written by Rich Barlow titled ​Gay Parents as

Good as Straight Ones​ said, “Siegel, a School of Medicine professor of pediatrics, co authored a

report, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics the week before the court case, arguing

that three decades of research concur that kids of gay parents are doing just fine” (Barlow 1). The

court case that this is referring to is one that addresses the “issue” of gay marriage. This says that

three decades​ of research are showing that gay couples are just as fit to adopt children as straight

couples. It can also be argued that, because gay couples often have to go through more in the

process of adopting a child, they are fit to be parents.

Those who are raised by same-sex couples are more accepting and understanding of those

who are “different” and do not follow societal norms. In the article 5 ​Scientific Reasons Gay

Parents Are Awesome​ written by Stephanie Pappas it is stated, “Here’s an example straight from

the horse's mouth: Kids raised by gay and lesbian parents say their upbringing taught them

open-mindedness and empathy” (Pappas 1). People who are raised by same-sex couples learn

how to tolerate and accept controversial topics and ideas that exist in today’s world. These men
and women learn how to accept others and the things that make everyone different. Due to the

fact that same-sex couples are judged and treated poorly by so many, these parents teach their

children that putting someone down for being “different” does not make anyone anymore

“normal”. Just like calling someone fat does not make anyone skinnier and calling someone ugly

does not make anyone prettier, people make fun of and put others down because people and

ideas that do not follow “society's norms” can be looked down upon and judged. Ready and

willing same-sex couples want to adopt children. Jennifer Chrisler wrote an article titled ​Why

Gay Parents Are Good Parents ​In the article it is stated, “ For every child available and waiting

for adoption, there are 16 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people wanting to adopt,

according to Williams Institute analysis” (Chrisler 1). Many gay people and couples are ready

and willing to adopt children and get them in a safe and loving home and environment. Due to

people who cannot get over and or do not agree with a person's sexual orientation, same-sex

couples are not allowed or are looked down upon for adopting children. This ultimately hurts the

boys and girls waiting in foster care to be adopted. These children may be stuck in a home where

they are mistreated and abused, instead of being in a home with a loving family that takes care of

them. By allowing same-sex couples to adopt children thousands of boys and girls waiting in

foster care will be adopted. After being adopted by loving and understanding parents these

children will become more understanding of others and will become an advocate for those who

are being judged for what makes each person different.

Couples of the same gender must be able to adopt children. Mental disorders can often

develop in children who are in foster care. Abuse frequently occurs in foster homes. Many

children are still waiting to find their forever home. People who are in disagreement with
homosexuality have made an effort to pass laws discriminating specifically against same-sex

couple adoption. Children brought up by same-sex couples are more accepting of others who are

different from the normalities of society. Allowing same-sex couples to adopt children should

not be a difficult decision to make. Children are in need of homes and families that will love

them. Children need guidance so that way they can thrive in the future. If adoption agencies

allow same-sex couples to adopt, more children will have their forever home.