I don't know if this story would get enough national traction as California's proposition 8 last fall, but it should. In the state of Kentucky, currently there's a proposed bill that would impose a ban on foster care of children in homes of gay couples, and or couples unmarried but cohabitating of the opposite sex. The Bill has as proposed is known as the "Child Welfare Adoption Act". One has to wonder if the welfare of the children are truly the concern here.You may say foster care is no big deal, but the ban itself would have a direct impact on adoptions of children in that state. Now I don't know how many kids are adopted or waiting to be adopted in Kentucky, but I do know that per this release, a ban would cost the state about $5 million dollars in the first year, should it become law. In these economic times, it would seem to be a pretty noble feat to still want to adopt kids - kids in need of some form of permanence by way of a home.
That said, I think the ideological thinking of the religious fundamentalist should be superseded by the need to provide homes for these kids. Who cares if a couple is *gay. Seems like if they've met state mandated standards of care, that this would not be an issue. Isn't it time for us to stop allowing old world ideas to shape our lives, and invariably the lives of our children?
*According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no credible scientific evidence that the sexual orientation of parents has any effect either on the quality of parenting or on the wellbeing of their children. (source)
What say you?
7 comments:
i figure if they want one make them like i did the old fashion way -oh, they cant dang
Actually, Torrance, we can. Through chemistry or via surrogates, we can have children. And no, we never get used to comments like yours.
Love makes a family. Nothing more, nothing less. The house in which I grew up had precious little love. The one I live in now has precious little BUT love. I'll take this one over that one any day of the week.
I know what foster parents have to go through to get licensed. It's no walk in the park. If any family has enough love (and resources, 'cause trust me, foster parenting is not a money-making enterprise) to share, AND they are willing and able to jump through all of the necessary hoops, I say bless 'em. Let them be foster parents.
Adoption home studies are even more invasive and stringent than those administered to prospective foster parents. If a couple (or single person) can pass that muster, I say let them adopt.
There are hundreds of thousands of children nationwide either waiting for placement in foster care or who are in foster care waiting for an adoptive family to give them a permanent home. Who gives a damn what shape or style the parents are, so long as they are healthy, sane and loving?
What good is served in this proposed legislation? How many children are helped?
None.
How crazy can this country get. You got people wanting to give love to kids and the government wanting to stop it.
There are so many children needing love and care that it seems heinously offensive that religious bigots would eliminate a pool of caring capable foster and adoptive parents.
I think the word to describe this is "stupidity".
Great post.
Cheers
Children need love and attention and provision. Whoever can provide that is an acceptable parent. I have no idea how people figure a person's sexual orientation hinders a person's ability to do that. Just because a couple consists of a man and woman doesn't automatically make them fit to have kids. I have absolutely no issue with gay couple's adopting children. That is far better than those children languishing in the foster care system. I should think the most conservative conservative could see and understand that--even if it's just from a fiscal standpoint.
Dawn!
In reality the rason gay and lesbian couples should,t be able to adopt children is quite simple. A mother and father are both very important to the well being of a growing child. Men and women are different and culturaly round out different aspects of a childs make up. Two women or two men can't provide the nurturing aspects that each gender brings to the table leaving a child confused as to what his /her identity reallY is.
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