Should Homosexual Couples be Allowed to Adopt - Research Paper Example

Should Homosexual couples be allowed to adopt? Homosexual couples are capable of raising healthy children, their life style will not be transcended to them and they will not be psychologically damaged as suggested by the traditional family. Adoption by Homosexual couple is definitely an agreeable fact. This is evident from the number of children in orphanages, who need to be adopted, cared for and loved. What rights do heterosexual couples or other people have to tell same sex couples, that they cannot parent and love a child, just as they do or even better? So, therefore if the same sex couples are in a monogamous relationship, financially stable and most importantly a loving relationship, they should be allowed to adopt a child if they decide to do so. Homosexual couples are capable of raising healthy children, their life style will not be transcended to them and they will not be psychologically damage as suggested by the traditional family. Being a heterosexual does not guarantee you being a better parent. This paper will explore why homosexual couples are fit parents and children that are abandoned can be given a chance at better life with these parents. Homosexual couples who are given the right to adopt children can have the same advantages. The anticipation for health alteration and development as children is same whose parentages are heterosexual. This is absolutely ridiculously and nonsensical. Our society imposes prejudices and biases against people who are different and not considered “normal.” The legal procedures and structures throughout the world leave the same sex couples desiring to be parents with two options. Firstly, the couples can always adopt the children of their partners. This is termed as second adoption option which is somewhat an extension of what we call as adoption by step parents. Another has been the traditional options allowing homosexual couples to become foster parents. Already mentioned this law has enforced by the government of Florida. Under this law homosexual couples are devoid of the rights to become legal parents. There is no basis on which to assume that a parental homosexual orientation will increase the likelihood of or induce homosexual tendencies in the child. The most important role of any parent, same-sex or heterosexual, is to provide the basic needs, such as food, shelter, clothing, health-care and love (Patterson, 1025-30). Public controversies do not stop chasing case of same sex adoption even though there are enough evidences to suggest that homosexual couples strive to fulfill all the necessities of their children. Homosexual couples are capable of raising healthy children, their life style will not be transcended to them and they will not be psychologically damaging as suggested by the “so call traditional family”. Our findings have proved that gay couples are more interested in adoption compared to the heterosexual couples. This point is proven with the help of the statistics from The National Survey of Family Growth which shows that 46.2% homosexual couples are interested in adoption compared to 32.3% in heterosexual couples. 5.7% homosexual couples are even ready to take concrete steps for adoption compared to 3.3% heterosexual couples (Brodzindsky and Pertman, 64). Such a data shows that future of many more children could be secured if eligible homosexual couples are allowed to adopt. In most of the cases it has also been found that such same sex couples are better educated and more financially stable. But out of such 3.1 million couples only 1.6 million have been given the right for adoption (Brodzindsky and Pertman, 64). This shows pure discrimination on basis of abnormal sex orientation. When heterosexual couples can still have children with medical assistance, homosexual parents will naturally have more urge towards adoption and this will ascertain security for many orphans. With proper monitoring of their activities for at least a couple of years after the adoption the safety of the adopted children can be ensured and court can give final permission. But complete rejection of the possibility is not a rational decision since statistics show their eagerness to adapt to the needs of the moment after deciding to adopt. This adaptation is usually important such that the adopted child does not get influenced or affected by the sexual orientation of the parents. Research has revealed that sexual identities, including gender identity, gender-role behavior and sexual orientation develop in the same ways among children of same-sex parents as they do among children of heterosexual parents. Adopted children of homosexual couples being influenced by their behavior has also been proved void. A primary research was conducted in which 55 gay men adopted 82 boys each at least 17 years of age. After some time the sexual orientation of the adopted sons were tested. More than 90% of the boys were found to be heterosexual (Bailey, Bobrow, Wolfe, and Mikach, 121). The fear of same-sex children adopting their parents’ life style is totally unwarranted and there is no evidence that support that claim. Therefore the basic fear of getting influenced sexually by the homosexual parents can be negated or at least not confirmed. Sexuality in any case, is a natural orientation and should be addressed with proper grooming. After all there is no genetic connection between the parents and the adopted child and hence this cannot be suggested that the child will have homosexual orientation. All that finally matters is the stability of the relationship shared between the child and the parents and the former’s satisfaction in this relation. Relationship stability and satisfaction among children of gay couples do not differ much from those of heterosexual couples (Kurdek, 880). A general test was also conducted to examine the attitude of homosexual couples towards family life. For this 33 heterosexual fathers were compared with 33 matching homosexual fathers. Results obtained showed significant differences only in social status and for security subscales. The same sex couples were found to be equally intimate with children. The couples were found enough fit for becoming good parents. They seemed even ready to fight against social rejection (Bigner, and Jacobsen, 163-164). Heterosexual fathers can bear the same responsibility of fatherhood as does the heterosexual fathers. Children having lesbian parents develop in a similar fashion than what we could see for children among heterosexual couples. To prove this fact a test has been conducted for 100 lesbian mothers who were compared with matching 100 heterosexual mothers on significant factors like child rearing goals, parenthood and social support. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. The test results did not show any such significant differences. The lesbian mothers were not found to be overburdened with parenting (Bos, van Balen, and van den Boom, 758). They are in no way less caring or lovable or any other emotions that we find for heterosexual mothers. In order to bring up a child in a healthy manner, all that matters is the right feeling and attitudes of parents. In fact when a child begins to spend a major part of the day at school and hence with their mentors, it is expected that the mentors (who are not their biological parents) will also affect their approach to life and outlook. All that matter is the guidance they receive irrespective of whether their parents are homosexual or heterosexual. Hence it can be said that the court should at least give them a chance. In recent times there have been some examples of support towards the cause of adoption by homosexual couples. Rejection of the homosexual couples’ appeal for adoption only due to their sexual orientation is, in fact, unlawful. Before rejecting any homosexual couples from gaining parental rights, the court must have enough evidence to prove that the sexual activities of the parent or their personal characteristics will have an adverse effect on the child. Sometimes second parenting options are cancelled or custody of children is withheld citing only homosexuality as a reason. In the case of Lofton v. Secretary of Department of Children and Family Services the Eleventh Circuit Court finally accepted the Florida statute to be constitutional. The case comprised of six homosexuals challenging the “constitutionality of the Florida adoption statute” (Cantor, 112). They felt like standing up for themselves when the law was not in their favor. They demanded that the prohibition of Florida law against adoption by gay couples led to a violation of their basic rights to sexual privacy and equal protection. Initially the Eleventh Circuit Court had rejected this right to protection of the homosexuals. Supporting the argument for same sex adoption, New Jersey has set an example by granting the second parenting adoption to the same sex couples claiming that it is possible to establish parent child relations psychologically even with the homosexual couples. No such emotional trauma has ever been witnessed within a child with homosexual parents. Vermont Supreme Court has also regarded terminating a mother’s rights as irrational and unnecessary for the parents being homosexual couples (Bigner, and Jacobsen). All such findings and analysis point to the fact that there has been more interest and desire among homosexual to adopt children. But such rights have been denied to them because of their sexual orientation although they are found to be no less competent than the heterosexual couples. A lot of children who are deprived of parental love and care exist across the world and more adoption would simply give them a better future. But still a lot of homosexual couples, although legalized as couples are not allowed to become legal parents. Adoptions of even special needs child are sometimes denied owing to their sexual orientation. Evidences are there to support that their sexual activities have no influence on the welfare of children yet they have either been denied adoption or physical custody although analysis has proved that adopted children grow up like those of other heterosexual individuals or biological parents. The paper has addressed this issue and has provided arguments and even cases suggesting that homosexual couples should be allowed to adopt children. Ordinary people are also raising support for this cause. In my opinion the law can devise some conditions under which the homosexual foster parents will be kept under surveillance after adoption rather than denying the right in the first instance. This will ensure a better future for a child who would otherwise have remained an orphan and the child can receive education and have a life like other normal children. However as the child grows up and learns about the sexual orientation of the parents or is about to understand and realize the same, proper counseling should be given tot hem by someone they can trust if not the parents themselves. This is important such that the children do not develop any inferiority complex while interacting with other children and realize or deal with the situation rationally. Thus it should be accepted that homosexual couples are capable of raising healthy children, their life style will not be transcended to them and they will not be psychologically damaged as suggested by the supposed traditional family with biological parents or even heterosexual foster parents. References 1. Bailey, J. Michael., Bobrow, David., Wolfe, Marilyn., and Mikach, Sarah. Sexual orientation of adult sons of gay fathers. Developmental Psychology (1995) 31, 124-129. 2. Bigner, Jerry. J., and Jacobsen, Robert B. The value of children to gay and heterosexual fathers. Homosexuality and the family (pp. 163-172). New York: Harrington Park Press, 1989 3. Brodzinsky, David and Pertman, Adam. Adoption By Lesbians And Gay Men: A New Dimension in Family Diversity. Oxford: Oxford Publishers, 2010 4. Bos, Henry, van Balen, Frank, and van den Boom, D. C. Experience of parenthood, couple relationship, social support, and child-rearing goals in planned lesbian mother families. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, (2004) 45, 755-764. 5. Cantor, Donald J. Same-sex marriage, Wesleyan University Press, 2006 6. Kurdek, Larry A Are Gay and Lesbian cohabiting couples really different from heterosexual married couples, Journal on Marriage and Family (2004) 66.4, 880-900 7. Patterson, Charlotte J. Child Development. Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents, (1992). 63.5,1025-1042 Read More