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Monday, March 20, 2006

Law - Are gay adoptions shaping up as nation's next culture clash?

The headline to this story in the Chicago Tribune today is: "Are gay adoptions shaping up as nation's next culture clash? Move to place children only with heterosexual couples gains some ground, but many doubt it will succeed." Some quotes:

In recent weeks a flurry of activity has focused new attention on same-sex adoption, which is being touted as the next battleground in the nation's culture wars.

Some states, including Ohio, are considering legislation to bar gays from adopting. When local church officials ordered Catholic Charities of Boston to stop placing children in same-sex households, the agency decided earlier this month to get out of the adoption business entirely.

Critics of gay adoption say children are damaged by growing up in such households. But many child-welfare advocates disagree, saying that if gay couples are ruled out as adoptive parents, it means children who desperately need homes will have that much longer to wait. * * *

Nationwide, laws on the issue are a hodgepodge. Florida has long banned gay adoption, though such couples can be foster parents. In Utah, only heterosexual, married couples can adopt, excluding not just gays but single people--who are allowed to adopt in virtually every other state. Mississippi nixes gay couples but not gay singles. Last month in Ohio, a bill was introduced that would bar homosexuals from adopting or being foster parents.

About 520,000 children are in foster care, according to the North American Council on Adoptable Children. Of those, 120,000 are available for adoption, but only 50,000 find permanent homes each year. In Illinois, some 2,220 children are waiting to be adopted. Experts say gay people take in some of the most hard-to-place children--those who are older or have mental, emotional or physical disabilities.

See also several earlier ILB entries, including: 3/4/06 ("Same-sex parenting is a done deal"); 2/21/06 ("Drives to ban gay adoption heat up"); 2/10/06 ("More on: Morgan County lesbian couple fight to keep child").

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 20, 2006 01:42 PM
Posted to General Law Related