Why does everyone seem to think there is a MASSIVE shortage of adoptive parents for foster children in America? As a member of the LGBTQ community, I must contest this theory. I know there is a shortage, but it needs not be so massive. In most states, my own (Texas) included, there are thousands of LGBTQ couples who would love to adopt foster children and cannot due to governmental regulations from their state. Why won’t the US federal and state governments legalize adoption LGBTQ couples? Most of us would be happy to adopt those children and love them but we are not allowed… WHY?
2013-02-18T20:18:08Z
Pax B: I lived in your state for 6 years. Every second I was there I loved it, now I miss it every time I think about it. I'm glad there are places in America who know we don't make bad parents and that we can raise happy, functional, loving families.
Mikayla2013-02-18T17:33:12Z
Favorite Answer
Because people are stupid. I was adopted from foster care by my gay mom and so were some of my best friends. This was in the early 90s so even though I think people realized they were gay couples only one parent was legally adopting so they let it slide. I KNOW my case worker knew. (I had two moms but only one was a legal parent)
My best friends older sister was classified at the time as the most abused child in the state of Iowa. She had been in foster care with at least 4 or 5 heterosexual couples that decided her issues were too severe for them to handle. Placing her with my moms friends was pretty much their last choice before she would be doomed to staying in foster care until she aged out and never getting any real help. Her parents were amazing and now she lives a totally normal life and I think she got married last year. None of that would have happened if her gay parents hadn't adopted her.
There is a massive shortage of people who are willing to foster, PERIOD. I am queer so don't even start. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with it when most who are able to still choose to wait to adopt. MOST adoptive parents are looking for an infant, but LGBTQ PAPs will settle for international adoption if it means they can adopt a younger child. The majority of LGBTQ couples are NOT looking for older children through foster care.
I have had foster children ages 11-12 he went back to her birth home 3-6 we adopter her at 6 21month -4 we adopted him at 4 13-17 she went off to collage 10-11 she went back to her birth home 7-10 he went back to birth home. He is coming back in June he is now 11. 6-7 she was placed in a forever family 7-8 he went to a group home 4-6 she was placed in a forever family 4-6 we are working on adopting her 3-almost 5 we are working on adopting him I am a lesbian and I live in California
Meh. Most of the gay men I know have adopted a baby boy or hired a surrogate, because they can well afford it. The lesbian couples who have adopted that I know, have adopted beautiful, healthy girls or sister-brother groups who are 5-10 years old, whom they hand-picked.
I think like hetero couples, a lot of couples actually are hesitant to take on the extreme special needs of many of the children on AdoptUsKids.org. Surely if you look for children under 5 you will find most of them have massive healthcare needs that must be constantly attended to, and with their illnesses and physical disabilities will have a very, very limited life. I could not care for such a child at all. I'm not sure what I would do if it yet happened to one of the children I have -- we can't afford all the equipment, etc.!