Independent Adoption Center » Florida adoption

‘Coming out of the Closet’ with Domestic Infant Adoption

Sarah Bryson — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:04:59 +0000

Ann Wrixon, the Executive Director of the Independent Adoption Center reports on Gay and Lesbian adoption in the United States today. David Perry of Comcast’s “Ten Percent”* questions Wrixon on state legislation surrounding LGBT adoption and what role the IAC is playing to advocate for same-sex couples who want to adopt.

Having placed about 1000 infants with LGBT families over the course of 29 years, the Independent Adoption Center has been involved in numerous studies and has a lot of information to offer on this topic. Wrixon urges all same-sex families hoping to adopt that even if they aren’t going to adopt through the IAC, they can feel welcome to call and have their questions answered.

*Ten Percent, a weekly interview series that focuses on lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LGBT) issues, is a half-hour show created and hosted by long-time San Francisco media professional David Perry.

For more reading on LGBT adoption and same sex parenting read the following posts:

LGBT Adoption Legal in Florida

Ann Wrixon — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:09:37 +0000

On Oct. 12, 2010, Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) announced they would not appeal the court ruling that the prohibition on LGBT family adoption is unconstitutional. Sexual orientation will no longer be a factor in Florida adoptions. All of the Florida’s adoption-related forms now exclude any reference to sexual orientation.

This law prevented IAC from working with LGBT families in Florida. Many LGBT families working with IAC moved to other states so they could adopt. This ruling makes such drastic measures unnecessary.

This is also an important ruling for birthparents. It gives Florida birthparents the right to choose the best adoptive family for their baby regardless of sexual orientation. Over the years, Florida birthparents have been stunned and then angered to realize that they could not place their baby with the family they believed would provide the best home because of Florida’s discriminatory laws regarding LGBT adoptions.

IAC opposes all discriminatory practices in adoption, and, in particular, opposes laws that discriminate against LGBT families. IAC applauds this decision, and hopes it is the first step in outlawing discrimination against LGBT families wanting to adopt anywhere in the United States.

Florida Appeals Court Confirms Ban on Gay and Lesbian Adoption Unconstitutional

Ann Wrixon — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:22:08 +0000

Today a Florida Appeals Court upheld a lower court’s decision that banning Gay and Lesbians from adopting was unconstitutional stating, “there is no rational basis for the statute.” The decision is likely to be appealed to Florida’s Supreme Court.

The court noted considerable research showing that Gay men and Lesbians are as fit parents as their heterosexual counterparts, and that the outcomes for children of Gay men and Lesbians are equal. The court’s opinion states, “These reports and studies find that there are no differences in the parenting of homosexuals or the adjustment of their children.” The court also noted this research was scientifically valid and published in peer reviewed journals, while the experts for the Florida Department of Children and Families were either not qualified and/or their research had not been published or verified by peer review.

Unfortunately, despite two courts stating that the ban is unconstitutional adoption practice in Florida is likely to continue the ban on Gay and Lesbian family adoptions until all of the appeals have been exhausted. After the first court ruling in March, Florida continued to prohibit LGBT families from adopting from both the foster care system and in private adoptions.

To read the entire the opinion of the Florida Appeals Court see: http://www.3dca.flcourts.org/Opinions/3D08-3044.pdf