| | Should states permit adoption agencies to discriminate against gay adoptive or foster parents?February 10, 2012 - Andrea JohnsonShould private adoption and social service agencies that accept federal dollars be permitted to deny gays or unmarried couples the right to adopt or foster children? That's a question that is about to be decided in Virginia, where the state senate just passed legislation that will allow private adoption agencies to deny placements that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, including opposition to homosexuality. The state house has identical legislation that is also likely to pass and the governor is likely to sign it into law. The law won't outlaw adoption by gays or unmarried couples, but it will make it more difficult for them to find agencies that will permit them to adopt. This is basically how it already works in many states, so in that sense the Virginia legislature isn't doing anything new. The law will prevent what has already happened in some states, including Illinois, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. , when non-discrimination laws were passed and the Catholic Church closed adoption and social service agencies altogether rather than placing children with gays or unmarried couples. Virginia's conscience clause will presumably permit those agencies to continue operating. On the other hand, I thought that Sen. Adam Ebbin, a Democratic Alexandria, Va., state senator and the only openly gay member of the Virginia General Assembly, had a good point. The AP quoted him as saying that the Virginia bill will endanger gay and bisexual children, who make up a large number of Virginia kids wating for foster or adoptive homes, because they are more likely to be placed in homes with parents opposed to homosexuality. Gay teens already have a high suicide rate and probably make up a fairly high percentage of foster kids. Gay foster parents might be better suited to deal with those kids. Ebbin sees the entire law as discriminatory against gay famillies and thinks it's inappropriate to discriminate using state dollars. What should states do here? Article Comments(4)seriouslyFeb-14-12 9:55 AM Any agency that accepts state/federal dollars should have to remain separated from their church/other beliefs. We are all created equal according to our Constitution. Only those agencies that promote fairness and equality should be awarded federal dollars. That goes for Worker's comp, taxes, insurance, medicaid everything. AndreaJohnsonFeb-12-12 6:43 PM Actually, jbinminot, sexual orientation is probably affected by both genes and environment, based on the studies that have been done. In one 1991 study, 52 percent of identical male twins were both gay, versus 22 percent of fraternal male twins. That would suggest both that genes do play a role in sexual orientation, but are not the only influence since slightly less than half of the twin brothers of gay men in the study were straight. The question about the adoption agencies is whether it's fair for adoption agencies to take federal dollars and have discriminatory policies. jbinminotFeb-11-12 5:19 PM Yes, it's THEIR adoption agency. It's not up to the states to tell adoption agencies who they can give their services to. There is no such thing as a gay child, they are pushed into it by environment and circumstances. The article implies children are born gay. This is BS. waterjoeFeb-11-12 10:03 AM Ebbin is wrong since the law would not change current practice in Virginia. Those agencies that disapprove of placing children with gay parents will not do so now, so there will be no change in the number of agencies with such objections. All that changes is that those agencies will not be denied a state adoption license. To put it another way, it helps increase - or at least maintain - the number of agencies available to help children. Post a Comment | in: News, Blogs & Events Web |
