Adoption Archives - Page 2 of 28

Michigan Reaffirms Support for LGBTQ Families Even as Legal Settlement Allows Discrimination in Foster Care and Adoption

January 26, 2022

The state of Michigan must continue contracting with child service agencies that discriminate against same-sex couples, according to the settlement this week of a long-running case whose outcome rested on a 2021 U.S. Supreme Court decision. The state’s Children’s Services Agency nevertheless reaffirmed its commitment to supporting LGBTQ people who want to foster or adopt or are already doing so.

Jewish Couple Sues Tennessee for Discrimination in Adoption (and Why All Queer People Should Care)

January 21, 2022

A husband and wife in Tennessee are suing the state, saying that a state-funded foster care and adoption program turned them away because they are Jewish. To the best of my knowledge, neither is queer, so why am I writing about this on a queer website? Because discrimination in foster care and adoption is a very queer issue, and there is federal legislation pending that could end it for everyone, queer and otherwise.

Starter Resources for LGBTQ People Considering Adoption

November 17, 2021

November is National Adoption Month, so here’s a revised list of resources for LGBTQ people who are just starting to consider or plan for adoption.

Family Equality - Love, Lawyers & The Government

Watch: It Takes “Love, Lawyers & The Government” to Make a Baby

July 23, 2021

A humorous but pointed new video from Family Equality shows two dads answering their child’s question of “Where do babies come from?” by discussing lawyers, home studies, and bias against queer families. It reminds us that the path to parenthood for LGBTQ people is still full of obstacles and inequalities. Watch it here, just in time for Parents’ Day this Sunday, July 25.

Supreme Court Rules Narrowly in Favor of Religious Foster Care Agency but Says Nondiscrimination Laws Still Generally Apply

June 17, 2021

In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has just ruled in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia in favor of a faith-based foster care agency that refused to contract with same-sex parents. While this is not the win we might have wanted, it is a narrow loss that one LGBTQ legal expert is still calling “a huge victory.”

Federal Bill to End Adoption and Foster Care Discrimination Introduced for 7th Time

May 26, 2021

A federal bill has just been reintroduced that would prohibit discrimination in foster care and adoption on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or religion. The John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act (ECDF) is named for the civil rights leader and congressman who was an original co-sponsor the previous six times the bill was introduced. Might it pass this seventh time through Congress?

Croatian Court Rules That Same-Sex Couples Can Apply to Adopt

May 10, 2021

A Croatian court has ruled that same-sex couples in civil partnerships may apply to become adoptive parents, and must be treated the same as different-sex married couples during the assessment process. The country’s LGBTQ family group calls it an “historic verdict.”

Adventures with My Daddies - Gareth Peter

“Adventures with My Daddies” Is Storytime Fun

April 2, 2021

A sweet new picture book about a girl who loves having her dads read stories to her (especially the one about her adoption) is uplifting and empowering.

“Serving children should not be controversial” — Evangelical Adoption Agency Opens to LGBTQ Parents Nationwide

March 2, 2021

Bethany Christian Services, the largest Protestant adoption and foster care agency in the U.S., announced yesterday that it will begin placing children with LGBTQ parents nationwide, reports the New York Times.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Hubert Humphrey Building

Biden Administration Agrees to Delay, Review HHS Rule that Discriminated in Foster Care, Adoption, and Other Services

February 11, 2021

After a lawsuit brought by LGBTQ organizations and a foster youth and alumni group, the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has agreed to delay implementing a Trump-era rule that would have allowed taxpayer-funded foster care and adoption agencies and other health and social service organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ people and others. This will allow the administration time to review the rule and potentially change or nullify it.