Anti-Gay Adoption Bill Rejected in Virginia

The homophobic opposition of same-sex couples adopting children has become a hot topic across the country.  Legislation to prohibit discrimination against prospective 'gay' parents has been introduced with the "Every Child Deserves a Family Act."  This new bill will make it illegal for foster care and adoption agencies to use sexual orientation, gender identification or marital status as a factor of determining suitable parents.  Many states have already adopted the bill, but Virginia is not in favor of it.  

Virginia's State Board of Social Services voted 7-2 on April 20 to reject the proposal, MetroWeekly reports.   There was no reported comment as to why the Board rejected the bill, but it's clear that Gov. Bob McDonnell advised them to do so.  It's evident that many conservative Americans are unfavorable of same-sex couples adopting, with concerns more so focusing on the well being of the child rather than ones sexual orientation.  The question remains, is foster care a better place for orphans, in comparison to a homosexual household?  How do children of heterosexual households differ from those of same-sex parents?


Numerous studies dispute the notion that kids fare better in heterosexual households, pointing out that children with same-sex parents show no significant differences compared with children in different-sex households. A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, found that “children raised by lesbian mothers — whether the mother was partnered or single — scored very similarly to children raised by heterosexual parents on measures of development and social behavior.” The researchers also found that “children in lesbian homes scored higher than kids in straight families on some psychological measures of self-esteem and confidence, did better academically and were less likely to have behavioral problems, such as rule-breaking and aggression.”


With these studies one would think that more would in favor of "Every Child Deserves a Family Act."  It's unfortunate that more than 100,000 children in the United States foster care system will never be united with a family or placed in a home that more than two million gay and lesbian people are eager to provide.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).


If you support the movement of gay couples adopting children then lift your voice by signing the Gay Rights Petition.