LGBTQ+ people are more likely to consider fostering kids. But one big barrier is stopping them.

A recent poll from Gallup has found that LGBTQ+ people are far more likely than non-LGBTQ+ to be interested in fostering children but that many are deterred by fear of discrimination.

37% of LGBTQ+ adults who responded to the survey said they have thought a lot about fostering, as compared to 23% of non-LGBTQ+ adults. 32% of LGBTQ+ adults said they seriously considered adoption from foster care, compared to 15% of non-LGBTQ+ adults.

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“It was not at all what I expected,” Patrick Hinds told LGBTQ Nation.

But 35% of LGBTQ+ respondents also stated that fear of discrimination was a major barrier to fostering, compared to 10% of non-LGBTQ+ respondents. Similar numbers (36% and 10% respectively) expressed fear of discrimination in adopting from foster care.

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Fear of discrimination is also higher among LGBTQ+ men compared to LGBTQ+ women. 46% of LGBTQ+ men said fear of discrimination was a major barrier to fostering, compared to 22% of LGBTQ+ women. 49% of LGBTQ+ men said that same fear was a deterrent to adoption from foster care, compared to 22% of LGBTQ+ women.

There are approximately 400,000 children in foster care in the United States, and this poll suggests that many are missing out on loving homes because LGBTQ+ people are afraid of discrimination.

And their fears are certainly not without merit. Right-wing leaders have been fighting for foster and adoption agencies to have the right to discriminate. The Trump administration loosened protections in this area, allowing adoption agencies that receive federal funds to refuse to work with same-sex couples.

A 2022 executive order from President Joe Biden sought to correct these measures, ordering the Department of Health and Human Services to increase anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination protections in the foster care system.

Biden has also expressed support for policies that ensure foster youth who identify as LGBTQ+ are placed in affirming homes.

Gallup concluded: “Fear of facing discrimination is holding back potentially millions of LGBT families and individuals who are serious about caring for children in need of a home. Family service organizations raising awareness about perceptions of discrimination and addressing those concerns could potentially boost the number of LGBT people open to taking the first step toward fostering children or adopting from the foster care system.”

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