Foster Families or Long-Term Adoptions

“We’ve got 16,000 young people in the state system either looking for foster homes or long-term adoption. We’ve got a real crisis in our child welfare system” (Allen). Until recently, even with the statistics of unadopted/unfostered children being so high, people have questioned those of the LGBT+ community and whether they should be allowed to adopt or not. However, there have been shown to be many reasons that prove there are no major differences to children who grew up with two dads or two moms to straight parents.

Not only has there been no major differences but studies show that LGBT+ couples are more committed to parenthood. But because of people's views on who and what kind of people should raise children, it has brought up many disputes in the recent years.

The disputes over this matter have even made it to court and some states are or have already passed some laws that make it so adoption agencies can turn away couples because of their sexual orientation and those the LGBT+ community have called it discrimination.

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So, while same-sex marriage can become legalized in the U.S., there should be no reason as to why people of the LGBT+ community can not start a family of their very own. Homosexual couples should have the right to adopt and the process should be no harder than it is for heterosexual couples. People will say that a child needs both a mother and father figure in their lives in order to grow up well, while others say the opposite.

Those who do not agree with the previous statement say that when it comes to parenting gender does and should not matter. In fact, research has shown that, “Kids of gay parents show few differences in achievement, mental health, social functioning and other measures, these kids may have the advantage of open-mindedness, tolerance and role models for equitable relationships…”. Meaning that instead of people who assume a child is not receiving all that they would with a mother and father or believe they are to become vastly different from other children, are instead more likely to be nondiscriminatory in regards to sexuality in their life. Not only is this making people realize that placing a child in a gay household proves no greater risk than if they are not, it is also opening doors for children who want nothing more than a family to love them.

While there have been studies done that show that children of gay or lesbian families prove to be no different in a lot of aspects to those of straight families - there has also been evidence to show that LGBT+ parents are more committed to being parents. “In general, gay parents tend to be more motivated, more committed, and more thoughtful parents than heterosexual couples. That is because they usually have to work very hard, and plan very far in advance, to become parents, and so rarely do so by accident”. While their drive for wanting to have children is strong there has also been evidence showing that, “Same-sex parents who adopt tend to be more affluent and educated than the larger population of same-sex parents…”.

Knowing this, would that not in turn make gay parents more highly valued in favor of a straight couple? If proven they are more determined and in turn more educated, then why is it that agencies turn away these very couples? Prejudice and beliefs alike should not be brought in to an environment where children are present; some of which who have spent almost all their lives in an adoption agency. By making same-sex adoption illegal or allowing the right for adoption agencies to turn away potential adopters they are making it harder for the thousands of children who grow up everyday without parents, a family, and a home.

Even though the LGBT+ community passed a huge stepping stone in history - that has done nothing but hinder them and their love for their partners - and gained the right to get married, now they are in the middle of trying to overcome another barrier. The struggle for them to adopt becomes harder each day as there seems to be few fighting for them and their rights, in fact: This year, lawmakers in both Kansas and Oklahoma passed measures allowing child-placement agencies to refuse to serve certain families, including LGBTQ families, based on the agencies’ religious or moral beliefs. At least seven other states have similar laws or policies on the books already. (Pieklo)

So, while some people's mindsets about the subject of same-sex adoption are already twisted there is now more laws being put into place against them. For a child to be adopted one’s sexual orientation should not be a pivotal key in to whether or not someone is fit to raise kid. What should matter most is if the person is mentally fit for the challenge of taking care of a child, and in this case, because gay couples are adamant about adoption, it shows they are. As much discrimination as there have been, activists as well as though in the LGBT+ community are still rigorously fighting for what they believe is right, and they are not giving up on this one.

As some may have different views about what type of people should raise children, at the end of the day there needs to be equality for those who want to adopt regardless of the person's sexuality. This being said, gay couples should be allowed to adopt and follow the same guidelines straight couples have to when going through the adoption process. There is no reason it should be any different for them as they are wanting nothing but to start a family that they can call their very own.