The Catholic church should be allowed to ny same-sex upl the right to adopt. So says Cardal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. Kate Hilpern, who helps to place children new hom, and was adopted herself, explas why he's wrong. And five gay parents share their experienc of brgg up a fay
Contents:
- GAY ADOPTN: TE STORI
- PAT ROBERTSON: GAY ADOPTN IS WRONG
- EXPERTS WORLDWI FD GAY ADOPTN HARMFUL FOR CHILDREN
GAY ADOPTN: TE STORI
* gay adoption stories gone wrong *
If you're a lbian or gay dividual or uple, that bravery is all the greater. Ined, lbian and gay people disproportnately adopt those harst to place, cludg olr children, children wh disabili and children wh emotnal difficulti. It is also the se that the adoptns rarely break down, and there is evince of healthy and happy out for the fact, I n remember some circumstanc where I'd say was preferable for a child to be placed a gay or lbian hoehold.
A lbian uple rose to the challenge and the rult was the emergence of a child wh hope for the future, agast all his gripe agast the forthg Equaly Act (which will mand that Catholic adoptn agenci nsir gay upl as prospective adoptive parents), Cardal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has foced on the petg rights between Catholics and their personal nscience and of particular groups such as gay and lbians. Unls Catholic adoptn agenci are exempted om havg to let gay upl pass through their doors, he says they may be forced to close down rather than "act agast their nscienc" if you look at the make-up of Catholic adoptn agenci, which acunted for 4 per cent of the 2, 900 UK adoptns last year, you'll often fd a signifint proportn of staff who are not Catholic, perhaps not even relig. After all, while the Equaly Act, due to e to effect England, Wal and Stland April, outlaws discrimatn the provisn of goods, facili and servic on the basis of sexual orientatn, no gay uple their right md would seek the servic of a Catholic adoptn agency, given the church's views on the issue of homosexualy.
Nobody mentns that we're gay, and 's great to live a town where 's so accepted.
PAT ROBERTSON: GAY ADOPTN IS WRONG
You always expect to face some sort of prejudice, even though there are que a few gay fai this is que bright and knows he has a daddy and a papa, whereas some other kids have a mommy and a daddy. But there are two other gay upl the school, so he don't feel pletely alone.
The issue is not whether parents are sgle or a uple, gay or straight, but how much they have to offer to the child. Beg brought up by a gay man certaly don't turn children gay - que the oppose seems, I've never seen a gay adult who is the product of gay 's weird for me seeg that the children I tried to foster are now back the same environment as before I looked after them.
EXPERTS WORLDWI FD GAY ADOPTN HARMFUL FOR CHILDREN
I don't know what some people thk gay people do, but I like blok - not three-year-old children. If 's not racism 's homophobia, if 's not homophobia 's somethg else.