38% think gay couples shouldn’t adopt
November 13th, 2008
More than one in three people believe that gay couples should not be allowed to adopt children, according to a survey of 1000 adults released by children’s charity, Action for Children.
A similar proportion of people (37%) thought that single people should not be allowed to adopt.
87% of those who think that gay couples and single people shouldn’t be allowed to adopt said that it was because they thought that children need both a male and female role model. 76% felt it would lead to the breakdown of the ‘traditional family’, and would not be in the best interests of the child.
The poll revealed some very conservative values about who should not be allowed to adopt:
- 15% though unmarried straight couples shouldn’t adopt
- 30% thought single women shouldn’t adopt
- 43% thought single men shouldn’t adopt
- 40% thought male gay couples shouldn’t adopt
- 36% thought female gay couples shouldn’t adopt
“These findings are shocking and disappointing,” said Susan Cotton, Adoption Manager at Action for Children.
“Families in the 21st century come in all shapes and sizes. We have successfully placed children with both gay couples and single people. We know it works. We look at the needs of individual children and find families that can best meet those needs.
“It is the child that matters not the relationship status of potential parents. Our worry is that people won’t come forward and adopt because of the opinions of others.”
Its really sad actually. In my experiences, in my city anyhow, it seems that the kids that belong to Gay families are far more considerate and compassionate as well as better behaved and even more conscious overall. Maybe its because their parents have suffered so much and they teach their kids not to be narrow minded idiots?
My bisexuality has never been an issue and my kids know that love is love no matter what your gender or orientation or station in life is.
These people laying on their misguided ideals - what would they do if the shoe was on the other foot? What if hetero was the minority and the Gays were on the offensive? I bet it would be a whole different tune.
jGrrl ∼ November 13th, 2008 2:39 pmI believe adoption is about the child more than the adults sex preferences. It amazes e that people are so narrow minded. Should we take children away from single parents? should we take away any children whose parents after being ’straight’ realise they love someone of the same sex? Surely it’s time we realsied who we sleep with is unimportant when raising children. loving and caring for them is all that matters. Or should we just leave these children in care because not enough ’straight’ married couples want them?
hayley ∼ January 11th, 2009 12:15 amjust to add. I am gay and a proud mother of three beautiful, bright and happy teenagers
I don’t understand your example, if there were more gay people than straight people there wouldn’t be enough children to adopt. I can understand people being a little weirded out about gay people because many perceive gays to be perverts (when much of the time this isn’t the case). You have to understand, most people form their opinions about gay people (especially gay men) by watching the gay pride parade or accidentally stumbling in to a gay bar. In these places many gay people do present themselves as pervs.
I’m not against gays adopting, but if the gay community wants to be accepted they also need to be more understanding of how they’re perceived and how they’re “gay leaders” present the community.
Hello ∼ June 22nd, 2010 3:53 pm