Gay Adoption Tripled In Last Decade

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Filed under: Random Reads, Totally GAY!, Tyrell Author: Tyrell Date: Oct 25, 2011 This summer, thanks to numbers arriving from the latest US census, we learned that more and more gay adoptions were occurring in the nation. Now according to a new report, the number of gays and lesbians adopting children has nearly tripled in the last decade. All of this still continuing despite discriminatory rules in many states. “It’s a stratospheric increase. It’s like going from zero to 60,” said Miami attorney Elizabeth Schwartz, who has coordinated more than 100 adoptions for gay and lesbian families in the last year. “I think many really dreamed of doing this but it wasn’t something they ever thought would become a reality.” Here are some numbers. In 2009, about 21,740 same-sex couples had adopted children which was up from 6,477 in 2000. And about 32,571 adopted children were living with same-sex couples in 2009 which was up from 8,310 in 2000. That’s quite the staggering difference. A New York based adoption agency released a report from a four year project Thursday after surveying 158 gay and lesbian parents and their adoption experience. The research found that homosexual parents were adopting their children the most from Massachusetts, California, New York and shockingly, Texas. Many states in the US do not allow for same-sex adoption jointly as a couple. Other states have many discriminatory laws in place that can make the adoption process difficult for a same-sex family. However, it is clear that enough states have made it possible considering the newest numbers. For a long time, gay adoption was only considered something that was feasible for wealthy same-sex couples who could afford international adoption or paying a surrogate; both can run you pretty hefty bills. Now, more states are allowing gay couples to adopt form foster care where healthcare and college is paid for. That way, it opens it up for more people to start families. According to the Adoption Institute, 60% of adoption agencies in the United States that were surveyed accept applications from non-heterosexual parents and nearly 40% of agencies have placed children with same-sex parents. However, some agencies are sticking to their guns and say that allowing same-sex parents to adopt goes against their religious beliefs. “If one agency doesn’t serve you and you’re gay, then another agency will,” said Adam Pertman, executive director of the Adoption Institute. “You don’t need 100% agency participation. The bottom line is, if you’re gay or lesbian in America and you want to adopt, you can.” Another interesting fact is that as the number of gay couples adopting continues to increase, the overall number of same-sex couples raising children is actually declining. Why is that? “The bulk of parenting among gay people is still people who had children at a young age with a different sex partner before they were out.” Well how about that Read more at: http://www.homorazzi.com/article/gay-adoption-tripled-last-decade-numbers-american-census-adoption-agencies-survey-state-laws-same-sex-couples/#ixzz1j430Uspf