Gay Adoption Pathfinder

 

 

Gay Adoption is a topic that is often brought up in the news. Many states and countries now by law approve of it, but still many people do not think that the adoption of children by gay parents is moral and should be illegal. This pathfinder is designed for people that find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to Gay Adoption.

Advice to Researchers: While searching keywords online you will need to sort through the “junk” to find information that will prove itself useful. Make good use of search engines and books with opposing viewpoints. Therefore you can analyze both sides and form a knowledgeable opinion

Dewey/Library of Congress Number: Circulating Works

Number where more useful books are found: 306’s

Best Books:

v      306.76 Homo-Sexuality & Gay Rights. Mc Cuen, Gary E.

o        Reading 20: Gay and Lesbians are choosing to be parents

o        -Reading 21: Homosexuals should not have parental rights.

 

v      306.76 Gay Rights. Roeff, Tamara L.

v      305.9 Adoption and Foster Care. Gay, Kethlyn.

o        Reveals the feelings of young people who find homes through adoptions and foster care, and some to the homes of gay parents.

Online Databases: The following subscription services are best for research on Gay Adoption.

v      Galenet

o        Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center

 

v      Big Chalk

 

Gateway sites on the Internet:  

v      HRC Family Net/Adoption/Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Families http://www.hrc.org/familynet/chapter.asp?chapter=17

o        Search engine and all around powerhouse site for all things involving gay parenting, families and adoption. Includes “Ask The Expert” and Recent News Stories involving exclusively these topics.

Specific Web Sites:

v      More Americans Support Gay Adoption. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/gayadopt_poll020402.html

o        Rosie O’ Donnell reignited the debate over gay adoption by going public with her story of parenting.

v       Pediatric Groups Support Gay Adoption http://www.applesforhealth.com/ChildrensHealth/pedgay3.html

o         The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that gay men and lesbians should be allowed to adopt.

 

v      Suit in Florida Challenges Anti-Gay Adoption Ban http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/495/context/archive

o        “In Florida, gay and lesbian couples may be foster parents, but the law bars homosexuals from adopting. A class action lawsuit alleges unconstitutional discrimination against gays.

 

 

v      American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, Gay and Lesbian Adoption page:
http://www.aclufl.org/gayadoption.html

Journals:

v      Lesbian and Gay Archivist

v      Family Policy

o        Bimonthly journal put together by Family Research Council (FRC). The council opposes gay marriage and adoption.

 

Newsletters:

v      NGLTF Newsletter

o        Quarterly newsletter put together by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)

 

v      Mom’s Apple Pie

o        Quarterly newsletter put together by The Lesbian Mothers National Defense Fund (LMNDF)

 

v      Gay Parents Should Not Lost Children”. New York Times, October 1993

o       Supports Gay Adoption.

 

Handbooks:

v      Benefits and Lesbian and Gay Parenting: A Psychological and Legal Perspective

o        Provided by the National Center for Lesbian Rights

Organizations to Contact:

Pro-Gay Rights

Lesbian Mothers National Defense Fund (LMNDF)

666 Broadway, Suite 1200

New York, NY 10012-2317

(212) 995-8585

fax: (212) 995-2306

The LMNDF is a volunteer resource network that provides information, referrals, and emotional support to lesbians concerned with issue of child custody and visitation, artificial insemination and adoption.

 

National Center for Lesbian Rights

870 Market St., Suite 570

San Francisco, Ca 94102

(415) 392-8442

The center is a public interest law office that provides legal counseling and representation to victims of sexual-orientation discrimination. Primary areas of advice include child custody and parenting.

Con-Gay Rights

Family Research Council (FRC)

2001 M St. NW

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 822-6545

fax: (202) 466-3540

The council is a research and education organization that promotes the traditional family, which the council defines as a group of people bound by marriage, blood, or adoption. The council opposes gay marriage and adoption.

 

Experts/Scholars:

 

Virginia Casper

Director of the Infant and Parental Development and Early Intervention Program at Bank Street College of Education (Gay and Lesbian parenting). She is author of Gay Parents/Straight Schools (Teachers College Press,1999). She is also the lesbian mother of a 15-year-old son. Ask Virginia a question.

 

 

 

Felicia Park-Rogers

Director of Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE). She grew up with a gay dad and a lesbian mom. COLAGE is the only national and international organization in the world specifically supporting young people with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender parents.  Ask Felicia a question.

 

 

Liz Coolidge

A Licensed mental health counselor and coordinator of the Alternative Insemination Program and the LGTB Family and Parenting Services at Fenway Community Health in Boston. She works with lesbians, gay men and same-sex couples considering parenting and consults with women and men on the many variations of family formation in the LGBT community. Ask Liz a question.

 

Keywords/Phrases/Subject Headings

Gay Adoption

Lesbian Adoption

Gay Parents
Gay Rights

Adoption AND Gay Rights

Gay Adoption Ban

Supports Gay Adoption

November 12, 2002

Katrina Santiago