Arguments in Favor of Gay Adoption

No matter how you try to approach the subject, anything involving same-sex marriage and/or adoption of children by gay/lesbian parents is certain to ignite a lively debate. Whether you favor or disapprove of changes in federal and state laws to allow homosexuals to marry, allowing a single or couple to adopt a child is a different matter. Some will maintain a family should consist of male and female parents, though over the decades society has seen a variety of non-traditional families raise children. If you have wondered what advantages a child has being raised by two men or two women, here are some points to consider.

1) Any person, regardless of race, creed, or sexual orientation, will endure the same screening procedures before entering the adoption process and as such receive approval based on their ability to support a child. One can therefore not assume that any gay or lesbian prospective parent is involved in a “party” lifestyle – indeed, the propensity toward partying and promiscuity is not limited to sexual preference. One should note, too, that same-sex couples are capable of stable, lasting relationships and creating an environment in which a child would thrive.

2) Gay couples in particular offer the advantage of two authority figures in the home. While single prospective parents are eligible to adopt in many areas, there are challenges presented in terms of raising and disciplining a child. A committed partnership brings two adults into the picture to share the parenting responsibilities.

3) Allowing same-sex couples to adopt increases the likelihood of placement of special needs children into good homes. This is not to say heterosexual couples would not consider adopting an older child or a disabled child, but casting a wider net can bring in more hopeful parents willing to look at all the options.

4) In some states it is illegal to discriminate against homosexuals or GLBT couples wishing to adopt. Presently about twenty states in the Union and all of Canada have made it legal where North America is concerned.

Those who argue that a child who is able to find love and stability in a good home will likely not be affected by the orientation of his or her parents. At the end of the day, gay parents – like heterosexual parents – hold down jobs and help with homework, ferry children to piano and soccer practices, and love their children. Those unable to conceive naturally should have the opportunity to adopt.

Source (opens in a new tab) by Nenah Drewry (opens in a new tab)