lesbian couple granted adoption in florida...

[BlaqueKatt]

Despite "religious" groups protests and out and out lies (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os-scott-maxwell-gay-adoption-020310-20100202,0,4681616,full.column)

Church groups printed pictures of the "supposed" couple that was granted adoption(in the only remaining state with an adoption ban for same-sex couples), that was not the actual couple-but a horrible caricature of two persons of indeterminate gender sporting mullets(so a really old pic as well).

And the article's author made a very deliberate distinction between "the majority of Christians" and the few(sadly overly vocal) who are obsessed with keeping civil rights from same-sex couples.

[powerboy]

Good for them. They should be allowed to adopt if they want. And that is an old pic that the church put up

[HYHYBT]

They're not quite "the only remaining state with an adoption ban for same-sex couples." Arkansas requires that you be in a heterosexual marriage to adopt. Florida might, though, be the only state that allows individuals to adopt at all that bars gays.

[Kimmik]

OMFG one of the women is a relative for gods sake. Who cares if they munch carpet or play hide the salami as long as they are not child molesters or current drug users. Jesus... the kid has a loving home and two people that love him.. shit this makes my blood boil... The gay is not contagious... it is not an indoctrination, I mean shit if a gay couple raising a child will make the child gay.. ummm how come hetro parents have gay kids?

Arrrrrrrrrrg..

[smileyeagle1021]

They're not quite "the only remaining state with an adoption ban for same-sex couples." Arkansas requires that you be in a heterosexual marriage to adopt. Florida might, though, be the only state that allows individuals to adopt at all that bars gays.

Utah won't allow gay couples to adopt either. And when it comes to gay individuals it operates under a don't ask don't tell like system... you can be gay, but you cannot be out about it, and you cannot enter into a relationship. (at least that is my understanding... I'm in a relationship so the laws for single people aren't that important to me)

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Gah, one step at a time I guess. Though I suspect Utah will probably be the last to make the change, unfortunately for some...

ATM I'm watching the West Wing and, as usual, pissed at politicians in general. So I've deleted the overly verbose paragraphs I had typed up before. Now you will never know what I put there! bwahahahaha!

[fireheart17]

I never really get WHY gay couples can't adopt. All of the alleged arguments regarding homosexuals (I'm using it as a generic term here, not referring to men)

They're pedophiles: LGBT does not equal pedophilia. Pedophilia is a whole different thing. Pedophilia specifically refers to a love for CHILDREN. Not all gay people are pedophiles and not all pedophiles are gay.

Child grows up to be gay: oh puh-leez. :eyeroll: That would contradict the argument of "but it's a lifestyle choice" since if the child grows up to be heterosexual despite having gay parents, that would therefore disprove their point. (also, isn't there a genetic factor as well???)

Child is going to have self-esteem issues/needs therapy/will feel ostracized: there are children who already feel ostracized for different reasons such as disability, their school performance, how different they look and so on, there are children who are already in therapy for other reasons (family divorce, self esteem issues etc), and a child could have self-esteem issues from another cause...I'm thinking more teenager here, but body image, confidence issues and so on...

Child will be in an "abnormal" family: define a normal family. There isn't one these days. There's blended families, communal families, single parent families, some have grandparents living at home still, some parents have 63 kids, others only have two (bonus points if you get my reference).

Gay couples/people are unfit parents (since I'm aware that not all states permit singles to adopt): And that automatically makes heterosexual couples fit parents how? I think we've all seen enough stories on CS.com to explain THIS one.

[BlaqueKatt]

They're not quite "the only remaining state with an adoption ban for same-sex couples." Arkansas requires that you be in a heterosexual marriage to adopt.

actually Arkansas just requires you to be married(a single straight person cannot adopt either)-and since the state does not recognize same-sex marriage...it's a dodge around the issue.

[AdminAssistant]

actually Arkansas just requires you to be married(a single straight person cannot adopt either)-and since the state does not recognize same-sex marriage...it's a dodge around the issue.

Exactly. Arkansas used to have a specific same-sex ban, and the courts declared it *gasp* unconstitutional, so those lovely "family" groups put out a slightly different measure. All the time very loudly proclaiming that this was just their clever way to get around the court's ruling to discriminate against gay people. I believe it also bans single people from even serving as a foster parent.

Oh, and IIRC, those who were foster parents already weren't 'grandfathered' into the system, they had their children taken away from them by the state. Bravo, Arkansas, bravo. (I should point out that this measure was heavily opposed by the current governor, who is, so far, doing a nice job of cleaning up the mess Huckabee left.)

[daleduke17]

actually Arkansas just requires you to be married(a single straight person cannot adopt either)-and since the state does not recognize same-sex marriage...it's a dodge around the issue.

And this is exactly why I am against allowing gay couples to adopt. That means single folks (straight or gay) would still be barred from adopting. Just look at their criminal records, housing situation (nothing that's going to collapse around the kid and enough room for the family) and their personality (basically a psych eval to make sure the prospective parent is level headed enough to be a parent).

[Boozy]

And this is exactly why I am against allowing gay couples to adopt. That means single folks (straight or gay) would still be barred from adopting.

Your argument doesn't make any sense to me. Gay couples being granted the legal right to adopt would not prevent single people from attaining the same rights. You can be for singles' adopting without being against gays adopting.

[daleduke17]

Your argument doesn't make any sense to me. Gay couples being granted the legal right to adopt would not prevent single people from attaining the same rights. You can be for singles' adopting without being against gays adopting.

The reason is is that the laws are written just to allow gay couples to adopt. Meaning that single folks would still be barred. That's why I'm against the laws allowing gay couples to adopt.

[Boozy]

The reason is is that the laws are written just to allow gay couples to adopt.

What laws?

The law in Arkansas (from the post of BK's that you quoted) prohibits gay couples from adopting, because only married people can adopt. Gay marriage is illegal in Arkansas.

Unless I'm confused and you're speaking about another state law.

[Aethian]

I believe with just the snipit of the law daleduke17 believes that since it says only married people can adopt that both gays and singles are barred. I think finding the whole law would clear up any confusion on if singles can adopt now.

[Skunkle]

What daleduke is saying is that the law barring gays from adopting is too short of what's needed; gay couples can't adopt because they're not a "proper" family. Singles can't adopt because they're not a "proper" family.

I believe he's saying that we shouldn't change laws to ONLY, SPECIFICALLY allow gay couples this right, when there are other kinds of people who aren't "proper" families who deserve this as well.

So...what IS a proper family? The traditional "nuclear family" which, it used to be said, consisted of a mother, father and 2.5 children? Or, in more idealistic terms, mom, dad, Billy, Jane and Spot? (Seems every 'perfect' mid-century family always had two kids, and always a boy and a girl)

[HYHYBT]

Wally and Beaver were both boys.

[Lachrymose]

Yeah, but his name was Beaver. So... close enough. :p

[smileyeagle1021]

If you want more information on gay adoption (and wish to have a heavy dose of why I hate Christianity watch the bonuses too) check out We Are Dad (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0447538/)

Very interesting documentary on it's own (and the extra's on the Christian fundamentalist quotes prove my point that they are the enemy).

ETA- before the lectures start... I'm wiling to consider that there are churches that aren't the enemy, but live in Utah as a gay man for any amount of time and you will NEVER again trust any church. Telling me about accepting churches WON'T work because I have NEVER encountered one and NEVER wish to take that chance ever again.

[tropicsgoddess]

The most important thing is that those kids are in a loving home and not placed in an abusive environment or worse slipping through the cracks of the foster care system. I think it's bullshit that these nutjobs use religion as their crutch for being gigantic asshats about the gay couple being granted adoption. They (the religious extremists) didn't do shit except to try and pry the child away from a loving home they thought was "the devil" because the child's adoptive parents are gay.