States To Grapple With Adoption Policy

February 21, 2006 - Bans on gay adoption are being promoted in 16 states through grassroots initiative campaigns. Ohio, Georgia and Kentucky approved constitutional amendments in 2004 that define marriage as a union of one man and one woman.

According to Greg Quinlan of Ohio's Pro-Family Network, it's now time for a ban on gay adoption. "Now that we've defined what marriage is, we need to take that further and say children deserve to be in that relationship," said Quinlan.

Florida has banned gay adoption since 1977 although gays can be foster parents. Mississippi bans gay couples from adopting, but gay singles can adopt. Utah bans all unmarried couples from adopting.

Two NARTH leaders have published important papers on the importance of children being reared in families with a mother and a father. A third leader has published a paper on the questionable research of Charlotte Patterson, a lesbian who heads the APA's Division 44 on gay and lesbian issues. Patterson's research on gay families has come into question for a number of reasons. Current research shows that children brought up in homes headed by same-sex couples are harmed by the experience in a variety of ways.

NARTH Resources:
"Gender Complementarity and Child-rearing: Where Tradition and Science Agree"
A. Dean Byrd, Ph.D. MBA, MPH*

"Review Of Research On Homosexual Parenting, Adoption, And Foster Parenting"
by George A. Rekers, Ph.D.

"The Research Of Charlotte J. Patterson"
(Updated, December 2005)
By Gerald Schoenewolf, Ph.D.

"When Activism Masquerades as Science: Potential Consequences of Recent APA Resolutions"
By A. Dean Byrd, Ph. D., MBA, MPH