Same sex couples should be federally allowed to adopt.

>>> Children of gay men and lesbians are vulnerable to teasing and harassment, particularly as they approach adolescence. +++ The other kids do not have to know the relationship this child's parents have. +++ This does not have significant damage and has not been reported often. Most people are accepting, like you, as the comments display. +++ American Academy of Pediatrics states that over 1 millions have adopted children. +++ This is a problem but a small one in comparison. Most children would rather have a loving, caring home, than an overcrowded, unloving home. They are willing to accept a little ridicule over lack of love and parents. >>> We should allow heterosexual first and many heterosexual couples are denied which justifies homosexuals being denied as well. +++ This is a prejudice statement. The 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution states that no citizen should be denied equal protection under the law. This is discrimination and is not equal protection. +++ Heterosexual couples are denied for a particular reason. There is no shortage of children in need of adoption. If a couple is denied adoption, it should be for a reason other than their sexual orientation. In 2001, Dr. Judith Stacey and Timothy Biblarz published a comprehensive review of the social science research on lesbian and gay parenting in the American Sociological Review. The study showed that gays were just as good parents as straight people. (www.soulforce.org) >>> Legality is not primary. +++ Legality is primary. The United States has to follow the Constitution. If we stop following the Constitution, it will lead to us loosing our freedom of speech, religion, right to deny quartering soldiers. We need to follow our Constitution. +++ For your next, stereotypical rant, I have these statements from scientific organizations:American Academy of Pediatrics "Children deserve to know that their relationships with both of their parents are stable and legally recognized. This applies to all children, whether their parents are of the same or opposite sex. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that a considerable body of professional literature provides evidence that children with parents who are homosexual can have the same advantages and the same expectations for health, adjustment, and development as can children whose parents are heterosexual. When two adults participate in parenting a child, they and the child deserve the serenity that comes with legal recognition."43 American Psychiatric Association "Numerous studies over the last three decades consistently demonstrate that children raised by gay or lesbian parents exhibit the same level of emotional, cognitive, social, and sexual functioning as children raised by heterosexual parents. This research indicates that optimal development for children is based, not on the sexual orientation of the parents, but on stable attachments to committed and nurturing adults. The research also shows that children who have two parents, regardless of the parents' sexual orientations, do better than children with only one parent."44 American Psychological Association "Research has indicated no significant differences between the capabilities of lesbian, gay, and bisexual parents when compared to heterosexual parents. However, lesbian, gay, and bisexual parents face challenges not encountered by most heterosexual parents because of the stigma associated with homosexuality and bisexuality. Prejudice has led to institutional discrimination by the legal, educational, and social-welfare systems. In a number of instances, lesbian, gay,and bisexual parents have lost custody of their children, have been restricted in visiting their children, have been prohibited from living with their domestic partners, and/or have been prevented from adopting or being foster parents, on the basis of their sexual orientation."45 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry "There is no evidence to suggest or support that parents with a gay, lesbian, or bisexual orientation are per se different from or deficient in parenting skills, child-centered concerns, and parent-child attachments when compared to parents with a heterosexual orientation. It has long been established that a homosexual orientation is not related to psychopathology, and there is no basis on which to assume that a parental homosexual orientation will increase likelihood of or induce a homosexual orientation in the child. Outcome studies of children raised by parents with a homosexual or bisexual orientation, when compared to heterosexual parents, show no greater degree of instability in the parental relationship or developmental dysfunction in the children."46 American Anthropological Association "The results of more than a century of anthropological research on households, kinship relationships, and families, across cultures and through time, provide no support whatsoever for the view that either civilization or viable social orders depend upon marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution. Rather, anthropological research supports the conclusion that a vast array of family types, including families built upon same-sex partnerships, can contribute to stable and humane societies ... The Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association strongly opposes a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. >>> Children raised by same-sex couples demonstrate a significant increase in low self-esteem, stress... +++ This is unproven and untrue. >>> confusion regarding sexual identity +++ This is completely untrue. If you have a nerdy dad, you will not become nerdy. This rub off argument is completely untrue. >>> increased mental illness +++ Gay parenting does not make you retarded. >>> drug use, promiscuity +++ These are untrue stereotypes. >>> sexually transmitted infections and homosexual behavior +++ Having gay parents will not make you gay. >>> The 14th Amendment was initially only ratified by 28 states. +++ Yes. But by 2003, all states had ratified the amendment. +++ To void the 14th Amendment is to say that interracial marriage is overturned, abortion bans are overturned, and so are African-American voting rights. But the fact is, now, every state has ratified the amendment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> not allowing a gay couple to adopt it is not discrimination. Its preventing discrimintaion in the life of the child. +++ It certainly is discrimination. Explain how it is not discrimination. >>> The couple should be discriminated against. +++ You gave a lot of stereotypical reasons. Couples should be denied adoption rights for legitimate reasons, not for sexual orientation, which the scientific community says does not harm a child. My opponent has yet to refute constitutionality. He said all states did not raify the 14th amendment, which was good research and a little known fact, but untrue. Because the amendment was lately ratified by 2003 in every state of the union. He also tried to say constitutionality does not matter. But this is obviously untrue. Our government has to respect our Constitution. The fact is that kids are often abused and molested and always have no loving parents when in orphanages (or whatever euphemism they're using now). Most children would rather keep their parents a secret and have loving parents than live in a poor, sad, overcrowded, loveless household. Some children will even tell the truth. But most children would prefer love and attention over neglect and a lack of family.