Essay 1
So many people in the United States are denied the right to bear children. Many people are denied the opportunity to get married. Coincidentally, many of the people who are denied the rights to both of those ideas, are homosexuals. Should it really be such a controversial topic? What is the big idea with wanting to care for children and provide them with homes? In America, this issue has become such a hot debate. However, most people oppose gay adoption because they view it as morally wrong. Homosexual couples should not be denied the right of any American citizen based on sexual preference and because this is a civil right deprivation!
People getting denied, whether it is for a credit card or even a cheerleading team, make them feel as if they are not good enough or not as competent as those who are accepted and given the opportunity. There is no exception for homosexual couples. What makes these couples not good enough to care for a foster child and give them a loving home and surrounding? A few states, such as New Jersey, California, and New York allow gay adoption to occur, but some states (like Florida) are known for its stubborn legislations against such a great idea. Experts believe that many states just have that "unwritten" law which is primarily and mostly based upon morals that are against the gay adoption legislation (Rostler). However, unwritten laws and old legislation should not determine who is suitable for adopting children or not. There should be no legislation that denies such a beautiful opportunity that would bring nothing but happiness to both parties. They are just as great as any other family that wants to adopt and love a child; they are people, not monsters!
In general, people have a great deal of skepticism when it comes to gay parents. Arlene Istar Lev received her Master’s in Social Welfare and is currently a family therapist and a social work professor who has written a few books, such as the Complete Lesbian and Parenting Guide. Lev believes that people always make the “assumption that the optimal outcome [of a gay-parental household] is to produce heterosexual children” (qtd. in Nauert). Yes, there has been a few cases reported where a male child turned out to be gay, but he had made that decision before his biological father (who was gay) even entered his life again. With that being addressed, those typical assumptions are far from true. There have been studies to prove those ludicrous assumptions wrong. Gay parents having homosexual children is just as likely as traditional families with heterosexual parents to produce or have a gay child. In fact, studies have shown that the children of gay parents are just as psychologically healthy as kids of "normal" parents. In a classroom, it is merely impossible to be able to pinpoint who has gay parents. It is highly unlikely because children with gay parents are not aliens, just normal children. Statistics have shown that kids of gay households have better academic and social skills than a child of a single-parent household. Michael Rosenfeld, an Associate Professor of Sociology at Stanford University, states "the biggest determinants of children's educational progress are not parental gender but. . . .parental education and parental income" (qtd. In Henderson). As far as studies and statistics come into play, there have been more instances where children raised by homosexual parents turned out to be heterosexual and mentally fine than the cases where children raised by homosexuals also became gay or lesbians.
Americans are given the birth right to freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness-so why must the American government shoot down these rights? It does not harm anyone to adopt and care for a child. Why are homosexuals revoked of their civil rights? Equality is supposed to be a given in this country, but when there are talks of gay adoption and gay marriage, equality has a big hand in front of it that symbolizes “NO!” Gay couples cannot already have children of their own so stopping them from creating a family is just unfair and unjust. Besides, would not relieving foster care and adoption services benefit the government from costly allowances to those institutions? It could most certainly provide financial easement for the government. Homosexuals are not trying to cause a stir and get attention by trying to be like any other couple who yearns for a family of their own, but they are trying to establish one with the only option that is at hand: To adopt. They want to make a difference in a child’s life and be able to provide, support, and take on any other sort of parental duties and responsibilities. So many children are in foster homes and as they get older they participate in delinquent behavior, run away, partake in drugs and cigarettes, and even suicidal actions. This can be eliminated when adoption comes into play. It is so unfair to limit adoption to only what people “see” as right. Is it right to let these foster children run away and become drug addicts or criminals because they were denied parents? Of course not, it does not have to be like this at all.
Homosexuals are not beasts or monsters. They are people, and every American has the right to equality and to be treated fairly without any prejudices held against them. So many other controversial issues that are going on and being debated upon in the United States many people do not like, and are still decided upon through legislation, meaning it is okay to be allowed in the United States. So why not the case of gay adoption? Why not the adoption of children to be parented and brought and welcomed into a loving home? There is no reason for this to not occur in the United States! I concur by saying it is only fair for homosexuals to receive the same treatment as any other American individual; they are not crooks or criminal-they just want a family of their own, and by American rights, are entitled to such.
Works Cited
Henderson, Tom. “Sorry, Kids, But 'I Have Two Daddies' Is No Excuse for Bad Grades.” Parentdish.com 29 Oct. 2010. Web. 28 Jan. 2011.
Nauert, Rick, PhD. “Gay Parents Have Well-Adjusted Kids.” Relationships and Sexuality News. PsychCentral. 14 Sept. 2010. Web. 28 Jan. 2011.
Rostler, Suzanne. “Suicide Attempts More Common Among Adopted Teens” Adoption. Adoptioncrossroads.com nd. Web. 9 Feb. 2011.
