Destiny Mattingly 

Melissa Camarda 

Honors English Language Arts 

6 December 2020 

Same Sex Adoption Should Be Supported 

                 Over the summer I went to Oklahoma where most of my family lives for 4th of July. When we went up there, I spent the first couple days in a hotel with my family because we were not only celebrating that historical day, but we were also celebrated the fact that my cousin Mikayla and her girlfriend had gotten approved to start fostering young children. While most of my family supported this decision, some did not. Same sex adoption is a controversial topic, but it is becoming increasingly common and even desired or preferred at times. While I was there, I began thinking and realizing that there are more advantages and positive outcomes than negative.  

                Many children raised in same gender households are proven to be more open minded about different lifestyle and relationships than children who are raised in the traditional opposite sex families. I am not saying people in opposite-sex families are not open minded but that it is not a custom or something they practically grow to know and understand. If having parents of the same gender is disadvantageous to children in any way, it does not have to do with their parent’s gender but everything to do with society’s reaction to the family.  

                According to Gary J. Gates Research Director “170,000 children are being raised by 111,000 same sex couples.” That is 170,000 children who without being able to have same-sex parents would be homeless, in foster care, or possible in a bad home life. Children who come from bad birth homes deserve to have a chance in life to be happy and grow up like other children despite the issues from the past. “People ask me “What about gay adoptions? Interracial? Single Parent?’ I say, ‘Hey fine, as long as it works for the child and the family is responsible.’ My big stand is this: Every child deserves a home and love. Period.” Says Dave Thomas. 

             Deciding you want to be with someone who happens to be the same gender is not a choice. It is not something you can change. You are born that way. My cousin Mikayla had always wanted to be a mother but was not able to. She wanted to be able to raise a child and give them a good life, so she decided to foster children. There is so much discrimination in this world going on. Why would you discriminate someone for loving another person? Seems bizarre to me. 

            Every adoption case is different, but LGBTQ+ adoptions are special because it helps same-sex couples, and individuals grow their families since they cannot naturally conceive a child of their own. All cases do have one thing in common, children in need of being loved and cared for, and in need of a parental figure in their lives. 

           Some people say that children need both a mother and a father to raise them, but there are many other individuals who believe that gender does not matter when parenting. Over the years the number of children living with LGBT parents have risen by substantial amounts.  

            Sometimes people let fear of being judged or scorned stand in the way of who they are or want to be. I personally was adopted, and it changed everything for me. I was born in an unstable home, financially, mentally, and physically. I was in foster care for 3 years, and it was the hardest 3 years of my life but one day I was put in a home and I loved it. Obviously, it was a family, so it had its difficulties, but I have been in the same home with those people for 9 years. You can make an impact on someone’s life like someone had on mine. 

“If you have a heart for adoption, don’t let fear stand in the way” Says Doug Chapman