Florida is the only state in the nation with a blanket ban on adoption by gays and lesbians. This bigoted ban denigrates our families and denies thousands of children the chance for permanent, loving homes. Equality Florida is leading the grassroots fight in our state to overturn the adoption ban.

GOAL

Equality Florida’s seeks to secure fair adoption laws that focus solely on the best interest of the child and allow well-qualified parents, gay or straight, to adopt Florida’s 4,000+ children in need of a permanent loving home.

BACKGROUND

In a September 2004 ruling, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Florida to remain the only state with a complete ban on gay adoption. The US Supreme Court subsequently refused to hear the appeal. Equality Florida worked tirelessly to support the ACLU’s legal efforts, including finding qualified plaintiffs and creating a comprehensive public education campaign to inform the public of how this discriminatory law hurts Florida’s most vulnerable children.

The law was passed in 1977 at the height of Anita Bryant's anti-gay campaign. A number of the legislators who helped pass the original law now regret that vote and have worked closely with Equality Florida encouraging current legislators to repeal the ban.

Various professional organizations have carefully studied the scientific research and issued policy statements supporting adoption by gay and lesbian people. These organizations include: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Psychoanalytic Association, National Council of Adoptable Children, Child Welfare League of America, National Association of Social Workers, and others.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no credible scientific evidence that the sexual orientation of parents has any effect either on the quality of parenting or on the wellbeing of their children.

“There are over 4,000 children in Florida’s foster care system,” said law professor and child advocate Gerard Glynn. “The best interest of the child should be the only consideration when selecting good homes for these children.”

Gay and lesbian people currently raise children in Florida as biological parents, foster parents, legal guardians and increasingly as part of planned families through alternative insemination and surrogate parenting.  Yet many of these children are also denied the permanency and security that can only come through adoption, including second-parent adoption.

Bringing an end to Florida’s infamous, anti-gay and anti-family adoption ban is a core goal of Equality Florida.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Talk to your state lawmaker by setting up an “in-district” visit. By Using the talking points above and sharing your personal stories, you can make a huge difference in the lives of Florida youth who need permanent homes.
   
2. Participate in Equality Florida’s annual Adoption Lobby Day. Come to Tallahassee during legislative session and join with a group of individuals from your area to meet your lawmakers and ask them to end the adoption ban.
   
3. Join Equality Florida. Our work is not possible without the financial support of people like you who care about the lives of Florida’s most vulnerable citizens - our children.

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©2009 Equality Florida Action Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Equality Florida • PO Box 13184 • St. Petersburg, FL 33713 | Phone: 813-870-EQFL(3735), Fax: 727-490-0965

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