Talking About Gay Adoption in Louisiana

Members of Louisiana's Commission on Marriage and the Family heard from several equal rights advocates today - members of Louisiana's Forum for Equality - hoping to push the state of Louisiana to ease restrictions that prevent gay or lesbian couples from jointly adopting children.  Currently, while Louisiana allows straight couples and single people to adopt, the state bars committed gay and lesbian couples from adopting jointly.  Which means that while I could adopt a child, my partner would have no legal parental rights to that child (and vice versa).

Pretty unjust.  What's worse?  The Commission today seemed repulsed by the idea of gay adoption.  At least, that's how a couple of papers are spinning today's meeting.

Commission member Gene Mills, who incidentally directs a right-wing religious organization known as the Louisiana Family Forum, said that LGBT adoption has no place in a state (like Louisiana) that has banned gay marriage. "I really believe, as was stated earlier, that every child deserves not just two parents, but a mother and a father," Mills said, according to nola.com.

And then there's Rep. Frank Hoffmann, a Republican Louisiana legislator and also member of the state's Commission.  For him, LGBT adoption runs counter to the idea of marriage and family.  From the Times-Picayune:

Hoffman said while it was "appropriate" to hear from the Forum for Equality on the issue, the state should be looking at policies and laws that "will affect marriage and families to make life better for all in Louisiana." The pitch by Tucker, he said, was "at odds with the purposes of this commission. ... I don't see this (concept) going anywhere."

Personally, it seems strange that Louisiana would have a tax-payer funded commission dedicated to marriage discrimination.  But beyond that, it's in the worst interests for Louisiana's children, both those up for adoption as well as those in the foster care system, to prevent gay and lesbian couples from joint adoption.

No legitimate study exists that says gay or lesbian adoption harms children.  Rather, a plethora of studies exist showing the exact opposite - that children of gay or lesbian parents flourish, and are just as well balanced as children of straight parents.

Again, it looks like partisan politics by conservative religious groups are getting in the way of serving the best interests of kids.  It happened in Arkansas last November. And if politicos in Louisiana get their way, it's a pattern that will continue in that state, too.