, Research Paper
The Right for Homosexual to Adopt
Usually a person?s beliefs come from what kind of upbringing they have had. And in the case of whether or not it is right for homosexuals to adopt comes those beliefs.
Most think it is totally immoral for a homosexual person to adopt because it is not the ?traditional? family. ?The ?traditional? family refers to the idea of a husband, a wife, and their dependent children, whose relationships are traditionally recognized by law? (CQ researcher, 782). ?Today, fewer and fewer American households are traditionally recognized by American Family Law because society has brought on so many different changes? (782). For instances, more households have unmarried parents or single parents raising children. Though same-sex couples are extremely nontraditional they still can provide a normal family life. They have many of the same values and functions as a traditional family such as support, loyalty, values, love, and affection. Therefore these couples can provide a stable home for children who would otherwise not have one. If these couples are helping children have homes why should we care if they are same sex couples or not. Homosexuals should have the right to adopt children and provide a loving and safe home for children.
The reason that most people do not agree with homosexual adoptions is that they are sacred. They are sacred that because a child is brought up by openly gay parents that the child will be gay. Most people do not want to understand that just because someone is gay does not mean they cannot love and care for a child. They did not choose this lifestyle they were born with it. A gay person wants to live a normal life just like the next person but they have it a lot harder. If they would like to adopt children and give them a good home why should someone tell them they cannot. Is it not about the children and finding loving homes for them? If a gay couple can provide all the things a traditional family has then why can?t they adopt. ?The majority of organizations representing adoption agencies or adoptive families support adoptions by homosexuals? (CQ researcher, 173). If the adoption agencies support gay couples why shouldn?t the states. Many children benefit from placement with homosexual couples, particularly foster children from abused or neglected backgrounds or different race and ethnicities. ?People of different sexual orientation are so familiar with bias they make very good parents for children who are different or victimized by bias and prejudice? says Deb Tarden former program service manager for adoptive families (173). This shows that the gay parents can relate to a child and support them through there rough times. They have gone through similar hardships and can also be a role model to a child.
People often believe many myths about gay parents that are very far from the truth. People think that the only acceptable home for a child is one with a mother and father who are married to each other. This is untrue because children without homes do not have the option of choosing between a married mother and father or any other types of parents. There are not enough married couples willing to adopt or have foster children, so we need to realize this or these children will never get a stable and loving homes. It is often thought that children need a mother and a father to have proper male and female role models. This is very untrue because children without homes do not have a mother or father as a role model to begin with. So if they had a home they could find a role model in a grandparent, aunt or uncle, teacher, friend, or neighbor. It is also said that gays and lesbians do not have stable relationships and do not know how to be good parents. Like any relationship there will be ups and downs and that is expected. A big misconception is that a child raised by homosexuals will be homosexual also. It is shown that there is no impact on the sexual preference of a child by a homosexual couple than a heterosexual couple. Though there is some evidence that children of gays and lesbians are more tolerant of diversity than heterosexual offspring. That is definitely not a disadvantage though. People often think that if a child is adopted by a gay couple he or she is more likely to be subjected to harassment and rejection by their peers. Children are made fun of for all sorts of reasons such as being too short or tall, too fat or skinny, or because they speak a different language. So, it is more likely for the child to be resilient if he or she has a stable and loving environment. Children in foster care often face abuse from their peers for being parent
Now, about twenty-two states have made it legal for same sex couples to adopt children through state run or private adoption agencies. ?ALCU estimates that 6-14 million children live with at least one gay parent? (782). ?Florida has one of the only anti-gay adoption law in the country, passed more than two decades ago? (CNN, 26). ?The American Civil Liberties Union filed a class action suit against the state of Florida in an attempt to overturn its ban on homosexuals becoming adoptive parents? (26). Steve Lofton and Roger Croteau have taken care of three foster children since infancy. They want to adopt but the state of Florida will not let them because they are gay men. These three children were born with the HIV virus. ?I?m entitled to all the chores of parenthood but have no other privileges legally,? Lofton said (26). It is unfair for these two men to love and provide for these children and not make them their own. ALCU?s complaint in Florida is the law ignores the best interest of the children by excluding an entire class of qualified adults from adopting. ?They claim that the state?s adoption policy violates the children?s and adult?s constitutional rights to protection, privacy, intimate association and family integrity? (CQ researcher, 782) ?In 1977 New Jersey became the first state to permit adoptions by homosexuals and unmarried couples under state law? (782). ?The state agreed to change its policy to settle more than two hundred cases of gay couples charging the New Jersey rule of barring adoption by gay couples as a violation of both state law and their right to equal protection? (782). ?The case arose when two gay men from Maywood applied to jointly adopt their 2-year-old son, who they cared for since he was 3 months old? ?His mother was a drug addicted woman with AIDS virus? (CNN, 17) It was said that they could not adopt him together but separately. Though a judge overruled this decision in October. This agreement settled a related class-action suit brought by two hundred homosexual couples. ?This is a victory about goodness and quality,? Holden said (17). In San Francisco gay activists are angered by the proposal by Governor Pete Wilson to restrict adoption by homosexual couples to those who are legally married. ?These regulations will not effect in any way the ability of single people, regardless of their sexual orientation, to adopt,? ?It will only effect the ability of committed lesbian and gay couples to adopt said Kate Kendell.? ? The governor believes its in the best interest of the child to have a mother and a father in the household,? a spokesman for Wilson told CNN (CNN, 02). In California there are about 17,000 foster children that need homes. If they change the rule there will be less homes for these children.
In conclusion homosexual adoptions should be legal because they can provide a stable home for unfortunate children. Though they are not going to have what society sees as a ?traditional? family, they will still be able to provide love and attention. Homosexuals are people too and they want to enjoy life like everyone else. They want to have families and live happy lives, why should they be denied that. Homosexuals will give homes to children that are most likely unwanted or have some kind of disadvantage. They can relate to abused or different children because they were once there themselves. They can provide a normal household just with out the traditional mom and dad. They are loving, caring, devoted, and all together good parents. They should be given the right to adopt children and provide them with a good home. After all is it not about the children and giving them what they need and if homosexual couples can do that we should not stop it.
Work Cited
Koch, Kathy. “Adoption Controversies.” CQ Researcher. (1999): 779-799.
WWW.CNN.Com/US/9610/02/adoption/index.html
WWW.CNN.Com/US/9712/17/gay.adoptions/index.html
WWW.CNN.Com/US/9905/26/gay.adoptions