The Recruiting has STARTED

So, I asked a resource worker about her feelings of gay and lesbian parents. We were in the elevator and I said, so I have a random question" What is your take on gay and lesbian foster parents?" She told me that the state of Alabama did not recognize gay and lesbian marriages, but she suggested that a gay or lesbian person could specify themselves as held of household. This would mean that they would have to separate themselves as a couple and be a single parent household. Would this demean their relationship? I would think so, because they could not recognize who was who. One parent would have to take the lead role and the other would be insignificant according to the state or foster parent organization. I also talked with another social worker; she thought that if a gay couple inquired about being foster parents that the state would pull out a morality clause regarding foster parents. This really disturbs me because anybody could define morality as their interpretation. How does one define MORALITY? Working for DHR and having a social service background, we are not suppose to judge, but the question is do we, and would we in this situation. Especially, since everyone who works in the resource department is older, and worked for the state for about 25-30 years each. So they are set in their ways and beliefs. Hopefully the new face of DHR can change the old ways. We will see and hopefully I will be a part of this change. I would hope since there is such a shortage of foster parents that we can get the word out and encourage gays and lesbians to start fostering. This would be a huge step, but a needed one.

There is no evidence to suggest that lesbians and gay men are unfit to be parents. Home environments with lesbian and gay parents are as likely to successfully support a child’s development as those with heterosexual parents.

Good parenting is not influenced by sexual orientation. Rather, it is influenced most profoundly by a parent’s ability to create a loving and nurturing home -- an ability that does not depend on whether a parent is gay or straight.

There is no evidence to suggest that the children of lesbian and gay parents are less intelligent, suffer from more problems, are less popular, or have lower self-esteem than children of heterosexual parents.

The children of lesbian and gay parents grow up as happy, healthy and well-adjusted as the
children of heterosexual parents. ( http://www.acluutah.org/dcfsfacts.html



There has been no research that can prove that same sex couples are bad parents. So, WHY can't the world accept same sex couples who want to raise children. Gay and Lesbian couples are starting to become more and more accepted in society, but the next step to overcome will be families and children of gay and lesbian couples. Our society will believe that nothing good can come from gay and lesbian couples. Hopefully not, but children will make fun of other children no matter what happens. But with the acceptance of gays by society maybe the teasing will be minimal, but who am I kidding, this will probably not happen in out life time. Hopefully at least the foster care system will accept gays and lesbians as potential foster parents and adoptive parents. As social workers and especially for those who work in child welfare we should advocate for gays and lesbians to become parents. Like I said before there is no research that suggests that same sex couples will be bad parents.

I had the opportunity to spend time with a couple of gay and lesbian couples this past weekend, but could not find the right time to ask them if they were interested in having children, or what their opinions are on the subject. Maybe next visit I will be able to inquire about their feelings on this subject wtihout feeling akward. I will also ask the resource department at DHR what their take is on the subject, and see if policy has any reference to the subject. I doubt it does, so maybe we should start recruiting!!!

Introduction

Do gay and lesbian (same sex) couples make good parents? Do heterosexual couples make good parents? In my line of work, I have not had any encounters with same sex couples, but have had many encounters with heterosexual couples and although I do work in child welfare, I have seen many heterosexual couples make very poor decisions when it comes to their children. Would this be the same with same sex couples? I doubt it, there may be few if any child abuse reports on same sex couples. I know that this is my opinion, but I feel that same sex couples are secure with themselves and only want to have and lead good lives. I feel that same sex couples would make just as good or better parents than heterosexual parents. We cannot choose our parents, and as long as there is love and nurture being provided to a child then why should it matter what someone's sexual orientation is. I did attend high school with a girl whose mother was a lesbian. This was 12 years ago, and of course, we were young and naive. We did think it was weird back then, but my have the times changed in the past 12 years. I do not even think twice about seeing or being around same sex couples. I feel that everybody has the right to be a parent until they do something to jeopardize that right. If the safety of a child is questioned and a child is placed in the foster care system, she/he is left there until his/her parents may or may not step up to the plate. My answer is no, but there are over 500,000 children in foster care. What can be done about this? Oh, I know let gays and lesbians adopt.........

Gay and Lesbian Parenting