by Kerry Hosking

Created on: March 04, 2009   Last Updated: March 05, 2009

For the sake of many thousands of children in state funded facilities, the issue of gay adoption must be resolved using logic and not biased opinion. Many would argue that two parent heterosexual families can provide a child with a more stable upbringing. This solution would certainly reduce the number of beautiful children who are in need of loving homes, but reality clearly shows that the number of heterosexual couples is exceeded by the number of children who patiently wait for them.

Although many would argue that gay adoption is inappropriate, and contradictory to many religious beliefs, the number of children needing to be placed with these loving families is steadily increasing; therefore, laws should be amended to allow same-sex adoption. In the United States, state laws vary on the issue of Gay and Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender adoption (GLBT). At this time, only a handful of states permit GLBT adoption, or same-sex joint adoption. For economic reasons as well as logic, the inevitable burden to the taxpayer is also steadily on the rise. For instance, a national ban on GLBT adoption could see the federal government facing a $130 million expense to take care of children who could have already been placed into families (Maxwell, 2008). Figures from the Census Bureau show that "The percentage of adopted children under 18 who are black is 16%. Additionally, 7 percent are Asian and 2 percent are American Indian and Alaska native. Adopted children are more likely to be of these race groups than are biological children or stepchildren" (Census, 2008).

The only economic solution appears to be the most obvious; that is, to locate as many new adoptive parents as possible to raise these beautiful children. But where does one begin the search for such people? Many heterosexual couples, who are already raising families of their own, opt to adopt children, though many only adopt one child. Some families prefer to adopt a child who is the same race as they are; some have not given any thought to adoption or fostering a child at all. Is there any method of advertising effective enough to prompt prospective parents to adopt? If not, it would appear that numbers of orphaned children will continue to rise, as the number of families wanting to provide them with homes steadily decreases. In the State of Arkansas alone, "the Senate moved to ban gay couples from adopting or fostering children. However, a study on the economic effects of gay adoption found that 9,300 to 14,000

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