Adoption By Gays- It's Okay

“When a gay couple sought to adopt a boy- who had leukemia, had been neglected by his biological parents, had lived in five foster homes, and whose adoption was favored by his legal representative- the judge deemed it ‘not in the interest of a seven-year-old male child to be placed for adoption into the home of a pair of adult male homosexual lovers.’”(Utne 58) Three years of searching for a qualified heterosexual couple failed. This and many other similar cases have denied children a family by ignoring many qualified homosexuals. With this being an age when people are supposedly more open-minded, why is it that gays are treated this way just because of their sexual orientation? Many Americans are still uncomfortable with the idea of gay parents. The traditional family has always included a mother and a father. However, today more and more families are being headed by gay parents. Some have children from previous marriages. Many must use artificial insemination or surrogate mothers because it is extremely difficult for gays to adopt children. Although it seems to contradict society’s view of the traditional family, homosexuals should be allowed to adopt because they deserve equal rights, and sexual orientation is not a reasonable determining factor in the qualifications of a parent. Also, allowing them to adopt can actually help society. “Surveys suggest that a large majority of the American public generally favor anti-discrimination laws.”(Harris 2) Why then, according to a Newsweek survey, do only 36% of those surveyed think gay couples should have the right to adopt? Samuel Chavers, assistant general counsel for Children and Families, says “adoption is not a right; it’s a privilege.” If this is true, there is still not a rational basis for denying homosexuals the “privilege” to adopt. It is clearly an anti-gay bias. Although only two states specifically ban adoption by gays, most states discourage it. Just as blacks and women have fought for equal rights, gays are now struggling to do the same. It is unfair to single out a group of people with many members who would make great parents. Since we live in a world where “all men are created equal”, homosexuals should enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals. Gays face discrimination because of their sexual preferences, and they must also face the qualifications for adopting. “June Amer has a son of her own, whom she and her partner have raised. They wanted to adopt a second child. Amer truthfully filled out an application form that asked whether she was a homosexual. Her application was immediately rejected.”(Fitzgerald 1B) This was a woman who had already proved to be a good parent and who lived in a healthy environment. She could have provided much-needed care for another child. Her only characteristic that did not meet the qualifications was that she had a female lover. Because of this reason, many qualified applicants are being turned down. It is great that people are willing to adopt children, but it is terrible that this one qualification is stopping so many of them. “Sexual orientation alone doesn’t make a person a good or bad parent.”(Kantrowitz 57) “Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, agrees. ‘The goal should be to identify those homes that would provide nurturing environments. The determination should not be sexual orientation.’”(Wagner 1) Adoption agencies need to quit using sexual orientation as a factor.