Should gay and lesbian couples be allowed to become foster parents?

Question

Just need some input for a paper I'm typing. Thanks alot!

I'm not trying to upset anyone! I just want to viewing the issue from another person's perspective.

Answer 1

In Australia, they are allowed to be. Of course like any other potential foster parent, be they straight or gay, they have to go through some rigorous background checks etc, but they are allowed to foster once they have been approved.
In fact there is a shortage of foster parents here in Australia at the moment. The foster carers association http://www.fcansw.org.au/ were on tv recently trying to drum up some more families that are able to become foster carers. Their website directs you to this website http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/html/foster_care/foster_care.htm and on it, it states, 'Carers are ordinary people who make an extraordinary contribution by caring for vulnerable children and young people.

Foster carers can be an individual, couple or family, any age or gender and can be living in a range of different situations.'

If people were more open to the fact that 'parents' don't necessarily represent a straight couple, then some of these foster kids without a home will have somewhere safe and loving to live.

Answer 2

This answer comes from my life. I am a lesbian. I have given birth to four great children and adopted one.
I believe that all honorable compassionate adults should be allowed to love and care for children that are in less than optimal situations. I believe it is our duty to care for the smaller ones. While not a licensed foster parent, I have had many many kids run to my house for safety and refuge, Some stay an hour. Some stay a day. Some stay years. I believe that all adults should go through the same rigorous standards, gay or straight. The bottom line is..Yes, I do believe that a qualified gay or lesbian couple would do a fine job for the unfortunate little children,

Answer 3

I think so . Gay men and women have a lot to offer a child , If they have the love to give and a caring nature . I have a good fiend who is a foster parent with his Partner . They have given their home and time and love to their son . This kid was a problem to place with other people . He would always act out , get lousy grades when he was capable of doing much better . He started to hang with some really bad kids and got himself arrested . They took on the challenge and after a little discipline , lots of hard work , helping him with his grades and working with his teachers , and giving him lots of love and a little compassion he is now a straight A student and a well adjusted and loving young man . He will tell anyone that ask that his two dads are two best things that ever happened to him . Oh in case you are wondering he is a straight and has a cute girlfriend .

Answer 4

These questions get old after a while. Can we just say people shouldn't be outlawed or banned from doing things because of who they sleep with?? Hey you straight people you can't drink beer or pet a cat any more, gay people have outlawed it for you. The only reason this is even a question or an issue today, is that deep down there are enough straight people who still think that being gay is so evil and horrible and wrong that they shouldn't be allowed to even be near a child, why don't we just say it and now we can go back to whatever it was that we were doing.

Answer 5

Yes of course, kids need love and guidance which has nothing at all to do with sexuality.

You know I find this interesting; aren't straight people sexual beings, and don't they do all kinds of different sex acts in the privacy of their homes or wherever. They have kids even in spite of their sexuality and sexual desires correct.
So why on earth would anyone deny children to another couple who love and cherish each other and their relationship and children just because they are sexual beings. Because they have their sexual relationship in privacy and do what they do in privacy!

I fail to see the difference.

Another point where did all of these kids that are in need of foster homes come from? STRAIGHT PEOPLE! Who are the most commonly the worst abusive parents that walk the earth.

How many children are in the foster care system from gay parents? I would bet few to none, because we are far better adjusted and more open in our loving then straights because of the issues we had to deal with to get to where we are.

By the way I am gay always was and raised two boys years back totally on my own and they are great straight sons! I also have 3 grandchildren who love me and my partner.

You see gay people are not the pedophiles it's the straights that are historically and majority speaking.

Answer 6

Would we rather have the kids end up in the foster homes waiting on their incredibly long and ever growing list? Somehow I feel that same sex couples might do an even better job since they cannot biologically have children they would take their responsibility more seriously...another fact, economically the lot of them are better off than the usual breed of foster parents.

Answer 7

Absolutely. This is why: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/2/341

"A growing body of scientific literature demonstrates that children who grow up with 1 or 2 gay and/or lesbian parents fare as well in emotional, cognitive, social, and sexual functioning as do children whose parents are heterosexual. Children’s optimal development seems to be influenced more by the nature of the relationships and interactions within the family unit than by the particular structural form it takes."

Answer 8

Certainly. The only people who shouldn't be allowed to become foster parents are those who might abuse/hurt the children, or whose environment is insufficient (not enough food, etc.). That's all. I count abuse as only physical (beatings, etc.) or emotional (like yelling, degrading, etc.). Anything else is just the weird things that happen with families- all families- so, since there's no relation to child abuse from gays and lesbians, they should certainly be allowed!

Hope that helps your paper.

Answer 9

YES. Often gay and lesbian people are often much more mature than their straight counterparts...they know what's truly important in life and are capable of raising a child in a loving environment. Of course not all gay people are like this...but neither should all straights adopt. There are far too many unloved children out there that it should make any difference who takes them into their stable family.

Answer 10

why deny the concept of love
from those who express a desire
to express it, by living it.

yes, because with gays and lesbians,they have to put more into it,
as they want so much to succeed and make a difference
in some one elses life.

also, i lived in an orphanage for 9 years.
so i know firstahand how these things go.