ADOPTION OPTIONS FOR GAY COUPLES

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

WILL YOU CONSIDER ADOPTING AN OLDER CHILD OR FOSTER CHILD?
WILL YOU CONSIDER ADOPTING INTERNATIONALLY?
WOULD YOU PREFER TO DEAL WITH A BIRTH PARENT DIRECTLY OR THROUGH AN AGENCY?

As you can imagine, adopting a child by yourself or as a gay couple is fraught with paperwork, complicated process, and a lot of cooks in the kitchen (the government being head chef). But fear not! Many gays and lesbians have adopted children successfully.

Although International adoption options are becoming increasingly frustrating for gays, the climate for domestic adoption in the U.S. has warmed to GLBT adoption. (See Same Sex Adoption Laws by State for more on the current adoption laws in the U.S.)

According to UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute, which analyzed the 2008 U.S. Census figures on sexual orientation:

Of the almost 800,000 gay couples in the country, about 20 percent are raising children
19 percent of gay households raising children include an adopted child, up from 8 percent in 2000.

According to statistics from the U.S. Census 2000, the National Survey of Family Growth (2002), and the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (2004):

An estimated 65,500 adopted children are living with a lesbian or gay parent.
More than 16,000 adopted children are living with lesbian and gay parents in California, the highest number among the states.
Gay and lesbian parents are raising four percent of all adopted children in the United States.

With those statistics under you belt, know that adoption is possible, just prepare yourself for a sometimes-arduous journey (think of The Lord of the Rings – except even more gay). Here are your options: