A Virginia agency has approved new adoption rules which authorize state-licensed adoption agencies to engage in a breathtakingly broad range of discrimination:
Virginia’s Board of Social Services on Wednesday approved final regulations on adoption that, starting in the spring, will effectively allow state-licensed private agencies to deny the adoption of a child by same-sex couples.The regulations also will allow the adoption agencies to deny services to prospective parents on the basis of age, gender, disability, religion, political belief and family status.
The regulations, however, will prohibit discrimination based on race, color or national origin.
Let’s be absolutely clear what this means. This means that a loving and generous potential parent could be denied the ability to adopt because they are gay. Or because they are Jewish. Or because they are a woman. Or because they are divorced. Or because they are in a wheelchair.
Moreover, these new rules run headlong into voter opinion and scientific research. Fifty-five percent of Virginia adults believe it should be legal for gay parents to adopt, and there is no scientific basis whatsoever for the claim that heterosexuals are superior parents.
Meanwhile, nearly six thousand Virginia children live in foster homes. All of them would have a better, more stable childhood — not to mention one that would better prepare them to succeed in adulthood — if they were placed in a permanent home with a loving, stable and financially secure family.
It is baffling why a state would deny these children a fair shot at life just because the family that wants to adopt them doesn’t look like some narrow-minded notion of what a family should look like.
This article was published by the Center for American Progress. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted by permission.
Filed under: Virginia
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You think this is excellent? If you do, why are you even reading something here?
Not good. LGBT parents are caring parents.
every child in the ‘system’ represents a dollar sign … remove the financial incentive for ‘warehousing’ and increase the financial incentive for adoption
this is nasty
tara heck should be given the darwin award for most pathetic example of a human
:<
i live in va.this sucks
Hello … America! Some dude marry dudes and become great parents! Embrace it we have !!
Bob McDonnell and his congressional cronies are against the people. It’s simple as that. They need to go immediately.
This is total BS!!! I can’t stand this. Wow Virginia agencies are promoting discrimination!!!! Ughhh!! This is sad
What frank said, but same for disabled parents. We’re people too.
this is just bullshit.i cant wait to move away from va
i hope im misreading this lol. i get ” agencies can deny the adoption of a child by same-sex couples” < if thats correct imma start fireing screw drivers out of a potato gun.
im not very surprised…NOVA is the only part of va that is accepting…this is when the federal gov really should step in and take action to help the american citizens!!!
Such typical Virginia bullshit. I guess I’m lucky I’ll be alone forever and that I’m moving away from this crack ass state. Considering I’m disabled (Asperger’s syndrome) AND a lesbian, I know I’d never be able to adopt here. That closet just keeps looking better and better.
Lack of democracy here, nothing but hate
It still boggles my mind that some of these agencies would seriously rather a child go without love & a family than give them to a loving couple who just happens to be of the same sex. Disgusting.
I’m ashamed to be a Virginian over such ignorance. :(
are we still in the dark ages!!
So Wrong!
Just another reason to convince my gay son to move with me away from richmond va and to the mountains of west virginia
really? ug. this country needs an enema.
they would rather have the children live in kiddie jails than live in a loving home where someone really loves them !!!!!!
just pure ignorance and hateful
horrid, those children need loving homes & they just act as if they are unfeeling possessions, horrid
Idiots
Absolutely disgusting. I lived in Virginia. Loved every moment of it. But now I know I will never really return.
The south never changes. Sigh.
Their modo should be “Virginia is for Haters”!
Yeah, because we adopted orphans really fucking care who it is that keeps us off the streets. (rolls eyes)
I think between the uproar this article produces and the slowly dawning realization that such legislation will cause a bottleneck that keeps thousands of kids out of “forever
Families” and dependant on the over-stretched state budget that this law won’t stand for long.
This should be reason for gay people to quit smoking cigarettes. .stop supporting Virginia and North Carolina tobacco selling death merchants
I hate this…These a-holes make the entire state look bad, which of course is not true. Beautiful scenery, some sweet down-home people..what a bunch of hypocritical jerks…OUST THEM!!!!!
No offense Mike, but VA is horrible. Stationed here a year and a half, finally headed up to CT. VA is for masochists
This is so effing sick! This is unconstitutional!