Final Vote in Virginia: Same-sex Couples Can't Adopt

By Lucas Grindley

ADOPTION LAW LEGAL X390 (FAIR) | ADVOCATE.COM

Virginia took the last step on Wednesday in blocking an effort to let same-sex couples adopt children in the state.

The Board of Social Services approved regulations governing adoptions in the state on a 5-1 vote, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The originally proposed anti-discrimination policy included sexual orientation. But when Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell took office he backed a pared down version of the policy, which starts in May.

Agencies will now effectively be permitted to discriminate against prospective foster or adoptive parents based on sexual orientation, age, gender, disability, religion, political belief, and family status, according to the Times-Dispatch.

Only race, color, or national origin are included in the rules.

The state already bars same-sex couples (but not gay individuals) from adopting. Equality advocates have tried to change that policy. A spokesman for Gov. Bob McDonnell said in April that “the existing adoption regulations are effective and fair.”

Gay rights group Equality Virginia and the American Civil Liberties Union argued unsuccessfully that expanding anti-discrimination protections would have increased the pool of prospective parents and led to more children being placed in good homes. But faith-based agencies said the new policy would have forced them to place children with gay couples, which they claim violates their religious beliefs.

The Family Equality Council notes that more than 6,000 children are in the Virginia foster care system and more than 1,500 children are waiting for adoption.

55 Notes/ Hide

  1. drschuchman reblogged this from darkpixie10
  2. foundinthedark reblogged this from justasecondoutofsync
  3. orgasmsinchurch reblogged this from thanksitsprada and added:
    thats great, good to know we aren’t making any progress as a country
  4. thehau5ofupsidedown reblogged this from projectqueer
  5. thanksitsprada reblogged this from blaazedandconfused-
  6. jennatumbls reblogged this from blaazedandconfused-
  7. itrytobemybest reblogged this from projectqueer
  8. blaazedandconfused- reblogged this from lovetarian and added:
    FUCK YO COUCH. Fuck this country, I need to get the fuck out before I go ape shit on some mothafuckas
  9. lovetarian reblogged this from inthelandoflesbianism and added:
    It’s cute how people still consider America a “free country”
  10. justasecondoutofsync reblogged this from sanityscraps
  11. john-a-zoidberg reblogged this from sexgenderbody
  12. le-claire-de-lune reblogged this from projectqueer and added:
    Well, this is super fucked up.
  13. loveexistsincracksofyoursociety reblogged this from projectqueer
  14. urigsa reblogged this from projectqueer
  15. allysaurus92 reblogged this from sanityscraps and added:
    Wonderful. So proud to live in Virginia right now. Really. /sarcasm
  16. dancing-with-diversity reblogged this from sexgenderbody
  17. livingaquietqueerlife reblogged this from wethedreamers-chaseforever
  18. peterpangal365 reblogged this from projectqueer
  19. lgbtqalove reblogged this from projectqueer
  20. ladyhippie reblogged this from projectqueer and added:
    OH FUCK VIRGINIA. I don’t even have words. Just screams of rage.
  21. skinofsunset reblogged this from projectqueer
  22. sanityscraps reblogged this from sexgenderbody
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  25. darkpixie10 reblogged this from projectqueer
  26. suspicious-sunflowers reblogged this from projectqueer and added:
    fuck this state.
  27. inthelandoflesbianism reblogged this from projectqueer
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