Same Sex Couples and Adoption
...s (and unmarried, cohabiting Boggs3 straight ones) are as qualified as married heterosexuals to be parents. Even gay couples from out of state will be considered as adoptive parents for hard-to-place adolescent wards of the state, of which there are between 80 to 100 at any time, said Wendi Patella, a spokeswoman for the state’s division of Youth and Family Services.” (Para. 2) Raising children is not an easy job, especially if the child has special needs. The best recommendation authorities could give same sex couples was to qualify them to bring up minority or handicapped children. It takes exceptional people to take on that kind of commitment. When someone can take in a child and turn that child’s life around for the better, it is a real benefit for humanity. Calgary psychologist Walker observers that, ” He has heard so many stories “pious and reputable religious groups, heterosexual couples, doing horrible things underground after hours” [emphasis added] that, in his mind, sexual preference has no bearing on fitness to parent. Homosexuality is a values issue. The quality of life is what matters not gender[…]The re-engineering of social mores has been underway for 20 years, with no evidence that would support any reason for alarm over same sex adoption.”(Para.5). Boggs 4 In most reported cases of sexual abuse on children the abuser claims to be heterosexual, even when it involves young boys and anal penetration. How can the system say that kids are safer with married heterosexual couples? In a personal interview ex-Deputy Sheriff Scott Lukemire had this to say about sexual assault on children,” Out of 50 cases I have investigated, 20 cases involved men who had attacked young girls, but the other 30 involved young boys. Out of the 50 assaults, only one was committed by a homosexual; the other 49 were heterosexual, and all of the 49 were married to women.” Officer Lukemire was on the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for two years, and was liaison officer between the local high schools and the sheriff’s department for one year. When asked his opinion of same sex adoptions, he had this to say,” I think gays would make great adoptive parents. My brother and his life partner have raised two girls and have done a great job. My niece, Cindy, is the manager of an Orlando, Fla. Marriott Hotel, and my other niece, April, is manager of a branch [Sun] bank in Orlando.” Also, I had the opportunity to speak with Brenda Sherman, an adoptive parent along with her husband Mike, who started out as foster parents. Brenda had this to say about same sex adoption,” I think it would be great if they [the government] would allow them [gays and lesbians] to adopt. There are so many children out there who need loving, caring homes.” Ms. Sherman started by taking in one foster child and ended up Boggs 5 adopting four children with another adoption in the works. The five children, whose parents were unable to care for them, are from the same family. Some people worry that same sex parents will influence the children’s sexual orientation. That argument does not hold up, however, when looking at the facts. Most of the gay and lesbian population were born to and brought up by male and female partners. My friend Sharon, who lives an alternative lifestyle, has raised five children. Her oldest daughter graduated valedictorian of her senior class and is a senior at ETSU a...