March 14, 2005: Ban on Gay Adoption - Action Needed Against - Urge Legislators to Vote NO

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, HB775, one of the adoption ban bills, was amended in sub-committee last week, and the language banning gay men and lesbians from adopting was removed. The new language includes a provision that married couples have priority over single people seeking to adopt and that public and private agencies have to give preference to married couples. It is our understanding that the intent is to return the bill's language to its original version by the time it gets to the House Floor. The amended language also is troubling because it does not take into consideration the individual needs of each child (see last talking point).

HB775 will be heard in the Children and Family Affairs Committee this Wednesday, (3/16) at 8:30 a.m. in Room 16. Please tell your elected officials to vote NO on the bills that prohibit gay men and lesbians from adopting or becoming foster care parents or that give priority to married couples. It is especially important that your representative hear from you ASAP if they serve on this Committee.

TALKING POINTS -

--These bills are bad public policy and are clearly unconstitutional. But most importantly, these bills are contrary to the best interests of the thousands of children who are waiting to be adopted into loving families.

--All of the national professional organizations devoted to children’s welfare agree that gay people are just as fit to be adoptive parents as heterosexuals, and thus, are opposed to categorical exclusions of lesbians and gay men from parenting.

--Over two decades of social science research uniformly confirms that children raised by gay parents develop just as healthy as other children and suffer no disadvantages with respect to their health, development or well-being. Moreover, the studies show, the quality of parenting of lesbians and gay men is just as good as parenting by heterosexuals.

--Parents have a fundamental right to make decisions about their children's care and custody. This bill interferes with that fundamental right and interferes with the parent-child relationship by prohibiting parents from deciding by whom they want their children to be raised were something to happen to them.

--Mandating that married couples be given priority over single people contradicts the overarching child welfare principle that each adoption placement be based on the individual needs of the child.

CONTACT INFO -

Listed below are members of the Children and Family Affairs Committee. (omitted for web) To identify your House Representative go to www.congress.org and simply type in your zip code and click "Go," and you will get a list of all your elected officials.

(You may have to type in your street address if your zip code is split between more than one district.)

If your representative does not serve on this committee, contact him/her and ask him/her to urge his/her colleagues on the committee to vote NO! Contact information can be found at http://www.legislature.state.tn.us. You may also contact your legislator toll-free by calling 1-800-449-8366 and entering 1 and the extensions listed below. (omitted for web)

Many thanks,
Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director