22 October 2009

New bill seeks to end discrimination against gay adoption

Hooray for U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA)! Last week he introduced the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (H.R. 3827). This bill is intended to "prohibit discrimination in adoption or foster care placements based on the sexual orientation, gender identification, or marital status of any prospective adoptive or foster parent."

From a practical perspective, as the Washington Blade reports, this bill "would restrict federal funds for states that discriminate in adoption or foster programs on the basis of marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity."

In other words, hit them in the pocketbook, since compassion, logic, and reason don't seem to hold much sway with governments these days.

As an adoptee, I urge all members of Congress to support this measure.

I was adopted all those decades ago by a heterosexual couple, and it wasn't a pretty picture. It was such an abusive environment, in fact, that I have been out of contact with them since 1989, in order to preserve whatever is left of my sanity. I would have had a much healthier upbringing if I had been raised by people who were more like any of several wonderful, smart, loving gay people I know.

Sexual orientation has no bearing on one's parenting abilities.

Think about it: Which would be better for a child -- being raised by Melissa Etheridge and her partner, or being raised by Britney Spears and Kevin Federline?

That, I believe, is a no-brainer.

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