Guy couples should be allowed to adopt children - Essay Example

GAY COUPLES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ADOPT CHILDREN Emboldened by increasing global recognition of their sexual orientation, gays and lesbians’ latest venture into obtaining more rights has been into parenthood, either by bringing with them children from earlier relationships, or choosing to get impregnated by artificial insemination. Many others are in favor of a third method of enjoying parenthood – legal adoption. In the United States, only four States {Vermont, Massachusetts, California and New Jersey (Belge http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption.htm)} permit same-sex couples to adopt children.

It is high time the remaining States emulate them, take cognizance of the overwhelming arguments in favor of the practice, stop their unfair restriction and allow gay and lesbian couples to adopt children.Firstly, there are an inordinately large number of children in the country who are on the adoption waiting list. Rob Woronoff, spokesperson of Child Welfare League of America {CWLA} has gone on record to state that the child welfare system in the U.S. is mired in deep crisis because there are not enough families coming forward to adopt children.

North American Council on Adoptable Children reports that nearly 520,000 children are in foster homes in the U.S. Out of these, although 120,000 are ready for adoption, only 50,000 ultimately reach permanent homes every year (Stone http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-20-gay-adoption-foster_x.htm). A large percentage of the children left behind are the ‘odd’ ones: older children, or children with special needs. The children left behind, especially the ‘odd’ ones, have been accepted in foster care by same sex couples, who are now desirous of adopting the children (Belge http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption.htm). Renowned actress Rosie O’Donnell {a lesbian living with her same sex partner Kelli O’Donnell and their 4 adopted children} unerringly points to the reason for same sex couples’ partiality towards adopting ‘odd’ children: “As a gay person as a child, you kind of know what it’s like to be the odd one out” (Stone http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-20-gay-adoption-foster_x.htm). By not allowing adoption, the authorities are not permitting the already existing loving relationship between children and same sex couples to blossom into full-fledged fruition acceptable by society.

This attitude is especially unfair to the children as they are being refused the opportunity to live in safe, sound and permanent households (Belge http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption.htm)Secondly, scientific studies have discovered 2 important facts. The first is that interaction with parents {rather than the parents’ sexual leaning} exercises greater swaying power over children. The second is that children reared in one or two same sex parent homes do not emotionally or socially lag behind in any way as compared to children living in heterosexual parents’ homes.

These studies have been instrumental in evoking the firm support for same sex couples’ to adopt children by the respected American Association of Pediatrics (Belge http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption.htm).Thirdly, if a same sex couple has a child by way of artificial insemination, the law recognizes only the parent giving birth as the child’s legal guardian. By not permitting adoption {second-parent adoption in this case}, the non-birth giving parent does not have legal custody of the child.

As a result, if the custodial parent dies, the other parent and child are both adversely affected. Despite having been actively involved in rearing the child, maybe even for many years, the other parent is looked upon as a stranger by the law. The child, on its part, can exercise no claim on the other parent’s health insurance or social security in case that parent becomes disabled or legally incapable (Belge http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption.htm). In conclusion, the issue of adoption by gay and lesbian couples in most States is no more than an ill-concealed attempt by right wing factions to revive the prejudice that earlier existed against gays and lesbians.

First it was formal recognition, then acceptance into the armed forces, then it was marriage and now it is adoption. The latest issue has nothing to do with the welfare of adoptable children, but only glaringly exposes the lengths to which the anti-gay right wing will stoop to incorporate their prejudice into State laws and employ them as a ploy to attract a greater share of the anti-gay vote bank. Sadly for them, their efforts are doomed to failure simply because Americans are displaying more understanding and acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships, and they will definitely view the right wing stance as unjustifiably punitive.

References used:Belge, Kathy. (2008). Lesbian & Gay Adoption Rights. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from About, Inc. Web site: http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption.htmStone, Andrea. (2006). Both Sides on Gay Adoption Cite Concern for Children. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from USA Today Web site:http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-20-gay-adoption-foster_x.htm