As someone who has lived in Florida for the past six years, I am thrilled with the judge’s decision. There aren’t to many state laws left barring gay people from adopting and the last few done away with. Florida is the only state with an outright ban on gay adoption. Arkansas voters last month approved a measure similar to a law in Utah that bans any unmarried straight or gay couples from adopting or fostering children. Mississippi bans gay couples, but not single gays, from adopting.
From yahoo news
A judge on Tuesday ruled that a strict Florida law that blocks gay people from adopting children is unconstitutional, declaring there was no legal or scientific reason for sexual orientation alone to prohibit anyone from adopting.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman said the 31-year-old law violates equal protection rights for the children and their prospective gay parents, rejecting the state’s arguments that there is “a supposed dark cloud hovering over homes of homosexuals and their children.”
She noted that gay people are allowed to be foster parents in Florida. “There is no rational basis to prohibit gay parents from adopting,” she wrote in a 53-page ruling.
The ruling means that Martin Gill, 47, and his male partner can adopt two brothers, ages 4 and 8, whom he has cared for as foster children since December 2004.
Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association all support permitting same-sex couples to adopt.
“It is clear that sexual orientation is not a predictor of a person’s ability to parent,” the judge wrote. “A child in need of love, safety and stability does not first consider the sexual orientation of his parent. The exclusion causes some children to be deprived of a permanent placement with a family that is best suited to their needs.”
Reaction came quickly from advocates of gay, lesbian and transgender parents who have long considered Florida’s law the most draconian in the nation. Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Boston-based Family Equality Council, said the decision is a “long-overdue recognition of the equal ability of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to raise happy, healthy families.”
“The best interests of children should be decided by parents, families, professionals and judges, not opportunistic politicians and interest groups,” Chrisler said.
Tags: adopting children, Adoption, foster parents, fostering children, Gay Adoption, Legislative
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2 Responses to “Gay Couple Allowed To Adopt In Florida”
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I don’t think that it should matter if someone is gay when it comes to a decision if they should be parents.Gay people have as much right as people who are not gay to have children.No one should ever be judged on their sexual orientation.My brother is gay,and he has adopted 2 beautiful children,and he is a wonderful,loving parent.My nephews couldnt ask for better parents then my brother and his partner.
Twitter: CCWordPlay
says:
It’s ludicrous that being gay was ever even a factor when approving adoptions. If they did that with African Americans or any other ethnic group, they would be considered racist. I look forward to the day when society has grown up enough to truly understand that we’re all equal, no matter who we choose to love.
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