Connecting Adoptive Families in the LGBT Community

Join Adoption Options, Denver Department of Human Services and Colorado Department of Human Services for an event this Saturday that will bring together families and children in the LGBT community for a reception, adoptive family forum, and resource fair.

HRC to Rick Santorum: Get Your Facts Straight and Put Children First

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality, today denounced former Pennsylvania senator and presidential hopeful Rick Santorum’s comments that adoption is a privilege that gay people are not entitled to.  Despite the fact that over 100,000 children and youth across the country are in need of a loving home, and years of research that confirms sexual orientation has nothing to do with one’s ability to raise a child, Santorum continues to tell lies about LGBT families and myths about child welfare.

“If Rick Santorum wants to talk about family values, he should talk about the need to find permanent homes for every child – that is a value we all share,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.  “At a time when we have a child welfare crisis on our hands, Rick Santorum resorts to spreading lies about our families.  The leading child welfare experts agree that adoptive parents should be judged by their character and their ability to raise a child, not their marital status or sexual orientation.”

The Child Welfare League of America, the nation’s oldest and largest child welfare organization, opposes restrictions on adoption and believes that applicants should be assessed on their ability to parent a child, not on their marital status or sexual orientation.  The North American Council on Adoptable Children opposes laws and legislation that restrict the consideration of prospective foster and adoptive parents based on their sexual orientation.

“It is distressing that too many politicians are turning to their old games of discrimination and prejudice, on the backs of our children and families, to get attention,” said Ellen Kahn, Director of HRC’s Family Project and a professional social worker.  “Years of research, public opinion, and the child welfare profession conclude that discrimination is not in the best interest of the children.  They simply delay or deny access to stable, loving homes and force kids to languish in the foster care system.”

Won't anybody think of the children? New Arizona adoption law favors married heterosexuals

Gov. Jan Brewer, R-Ariz., recently signed a bill into law that gives married heterosexual couples preference over singles and gay couples in adopting children. The law, which applies both to publicly funded and private adoption agencies, goes into effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session.

Arkansas Supreme Court strikes down adoption ban

Arkansas' high court recently ruled that a blanket ban on adoptions by unmarried couples is unconstitutional, calling the law an invasion of privacy. Mississippi and Utah still have similar laws on the books. The ban's supporters in Arkansas are now considering launching a drive to amend the state's constitution to reinstate it.

Florida officially ends anti-gay adoption ban

The 33-year-old ban on adoptions by gays and lesbians in Florida is history. Attorney General Bill McCollum said he will not appeal a decision by a state appellate court that found the law is unconstitutional.

Mexico's high court OKs adoption by gays

After its decision earlier this month to uphold a Mexico City law granting marriage rights to gay couples, Mexico's Supreme Court voted Monday to also back the city's law allowing gays and lesbians to adopt children.

Adoption Alliance to host gay adoption event tomorrow night

Gay prospective adoptive parents are the focus of two upcoming events sponsored by the Adoption Alliance in Denver. A film will be shown on Wednesday, August 18, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and a support group meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 25, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Space is limited, so please RSVP by calling (303) 584-9900. - via La Gente Unida Newsletter

Joy Behar sez: Let Elton John adopt!

Everybody's favorite 'View' co-host Joy Behar recently wrote an opinion piece for CNN.com about Elton John and his husband's recent failed attempt to adopt an HIV-positive baby from Ukraine.

Ruling Reversed! Lesbian foster parents can keep child

Lesbian foster parents Kathryn Kutil and Cheryl Hess will continue raising their one-year-old foster child after the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia reversed a lower court ruling that sought to remove the girl on the basis that her placement was not with a “traditional family.” The guardian appointed to represent the child’s interests not only recommended taking the child from the only parents she has known and with whom she has thrived, but also sought a statewide order that would prevent foster children from being placed in gay homes. Lambda Legal filed a friend-of-the-court brief representing several foster-care groups, leading to victory in the case.

Seems like Focus on the Family actually does just the opposite

Focus on the Family may have some clout, as this 365gay.com editorial on same-sex adoption points out, but NOT IN COLORADO! Gay and lesbian singles can adopt here, and we also have second-parent adoption, meaning that a same-sex partner can adopt his or her partner's child if there is no other legal second parent.

But as the battle over gay and lesbian adoption continues in many other states, it proves one thing about the conservative Christian agenda: it is not family focused, it is not child friendly, it would rather see kids sit in foster care or institutions without a parent than allow a loving parents to adopt. Children, who have no say in the matter, are being used and abused to promote a conservative agenda.

Unloved and out of luck?

There are gay and lesbian couples out there who desperately want children, but, in many states, are not even permitted to foster or adopt.

Colorado is not one of those states--we even have a Second Parent Adoption law that allows for same-sex two-parent households (all of the purple areas in the map above represent places where gay adoption is legal).

Yay, us!

However, now we have this straight mother parading her un-love for her kid all over the Internet?

There are many same-sex couples who would adopt this kid in a heartbeat and happily love her for the rest of her life.

And, no, straight keepers of the common morality, parents don't always love their kids. And that's too bad, but it happens. Maybe it's time to give some loving families a chance. Kids don't care if they have two dads, two moms, a mom and a dad, one mom, or one dad--they just want somebody to love them.

John McCain's 'disturbing disregard' for children in need of homes

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, issued the following statement today after Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, told the New York Times he remains opposed to adoption by same-sex couples implying that he is opposed to single-parent adoption as well. In the interview, published Sunday, July 13, McCain said, “I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.”

“McCain’s comments on adoption show a disturbing disregard for the reality that thousands of children and youth face -- the possibility of never having a permanent, loving home,” said Ellen Kahn, director of the HRC Foundation’s Family Project. “Leading child welfare organizations in the U.S. concur that there is no reason to prevent gay and lesbian people from raising children, and the child welfare professionals who are mandated to find the best possible families for children in need recognize that every potential loving parent, whether single or married, gay or straight, is a valuable resource for children who are in need of a permanent family. It is an insult to these professionals and the children whom they represent to suggest that the door should be closed to people other than a “traditional” married couple. It is also an insult to the thousands of children being raised by lesbian and gay parents, and who are thriving and contributing positively to their communities.”

Read more after the jump.


This has been a consistent position for Senator McCain. Asked in 2000 about adoption by same-sex couples, McCain responded that he didn’t “believe it’s appropriate.” (San Francisco Examiner, March 1, 2000)

With the strong support of leading child welfare and adoption advocacy organizations, the HRC Foundation launched the “All Children – All Families” initiative to help adoption agencies become more welcoming and skilled in working with GLBT foster and adoptive parents. The program, which recently received a grant from the Freddie Mac Foundation, has been well received and is viewed as the premier resource among child welfare leaders. The program includes the “Promising Practices”guide, a tool for adoption agencies whichoffers examples of effective practices for working with GLBT foster and adoptive parents. The guide features sample policies and materials, and also features tips from leaders of welcoming agencies, researchers in the field, and GLBT adoptive and foster parents. The guide also includes an organizational self-assessment to allow agencies to gauge their current policies and practices and receive guidance for improvement.

Today there are more than one half a million children in the U.S. foster care system, with at least 100,000 awaiting adoption by loving, permanent families. Agencies might purposefully or inadvertently close the door to qualified families through their practices. Few agencies recruit GLBT adoptive & foster parents, and many GLBT people feel unwelcome or discouraged. Similarly, members of the GLBT community might not be aware of the opportunities in domestic adoption and foster care, or they might not know of agencies that welcome their families. “All Children-All Families” works to ensure that all qualified prospective parents who wish to open their homes and hearts to children and youth have the opportunity to do so, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The All Children – All Families program includes a national advisory board comprised of leaders and experts in child welfare who understand that the GLBT community has tremendous potential to provide loving families for our waiting children.” Additional information on the “All Children – All Families” initiative and the HRC Foundation Family Project can be found online at www.hrc.org/acaf.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.




From The Wonk Room: McCain Takes Radical Stance On Gay Adoption

From The Wonk Room:

"Our guest bloggers are Winnie Stachelberg and Robert Gordon. Stachelberg is the Senior Vice President for External Affairs at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, and Gordon is a senior fellow.

This weekend, John McCain staked out an extreme position on “gay adoption.” Here’s what he said:

Q: President Bush believes that gay couples should not be permitted to adopt children. Do you agree with that?

Mr. McCain: I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.

Q: Even if the alternative is the kid staying in an orphanage, or not having parents.

Mr. McCain: I encourage adoption and I encourage the opportunities for people to adopt children I encourage the process being less complicated so they can adopt as quickly as possible. And Cindy and I are proud of being adoptive parents.

Q: But your concern would be that the couple should a traditional couple

Mr. McCain: Yes.

McCain not only expressed his opposition to adoption by “gay couples”–as if that weren’t bad enough. He said he wants “both parents” involved and therefore doesn’t believe in “gay adoption.” This approach rules out adoption by gay individuals–even though these adoptions are permitted in every state except Florida. In fact, it seems to rule out adoption by single heterosexuals too.

There’s a reason that nearly every child welfare organization in the country, from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the Child Welfare League of America opposes bans on adoption by gays and lesbians, and no state has followed Florida’s lead in banning these adoptions. About 130,000 children wait in the foster care system each year for a permanent, loving home. And every year ,half of these children are never placed, and 20,000 children “age out” of the foster care system without ever finding a permanent home.

Children are placed in foster care on a case-by-case basis. Every potential parent undergoes extensive screening before a child is placed with them. A ban on certain adoptions eliminates potential parents and wastes child welfare agencies’ time and resources implementing it—in Texas alone, a ban would cost more than $75 million over 5 years.

Does John McCain really think hundreds of thousands of children should sit in foster care and orphanages while we wait for “Ozzie and Harriet” families to appear? As someone who himself made the admirable decision to adopt a child, Senator McCain surely knows better."