According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System in 2016, Approximately 117, 794 children in the foster care system waited to be adopted (AFCARS). Over 100,00 children, waiting to have someone to call their parents, somewhere to call their home. The purpose of adoption is for children to be placed in safe, comfortable homes. Homes where they will be loved and taken care of. By not allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt is harmful. Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” is a largely known theory about the requirements of humans to reach their full potential. At the bottom of the pyramid are physiological needs which consists of food, water, and shelter. The step above this consists of what is known as safety needs entailing safety and security. Above this is love/ belonging. This tier consists of being loved, forming friendships, and relationships. If the potential couple can provide at least the bottom three tiers of the “Hierarchy of Needs” then why should they not be able to adopt a child and give them a family? Their sexual orientation does not affect their ability to provide financial …show more content…
They teach a person how to act in social situations, how to do simple tasks, and many other things that may or may not be vital later in life. Children and teenagers deserve to have role models to look up to and model behavior after. With same-sex parents, children may be taught to be more accepting and socially aware due to the situation their parents have been put through. Two moms or two dads are at least two parents. Two parents to provide love and knowledge. Two parents, regardless of sex, is better than leaving a child with no one to show them direction.
Joint adoption is a difficult task for many couples. According to the Family Equality Council, seven states can refuse to place children if it conflicts with religious beliefs (familyequality.org). That means nearly fifteen percent of the US can deny adoption by a qualifying couple because it interferes with religious beliefs of a person. Seven states have the legal right to deny a child their forever home, to deny a couple a chance at nurturing and caring for a child. Lynne Maxwell, Assistant Director for Reader Services at Library Journal