In Tennessee, gays and lesbians are able to adopt, but they may face obstacles that other people do not. While there are thousands of children who are lingering in the foster care system around the country, some gays and lesbians who are willing to adopt them may encounter bias.
Adopting children out of the foster care system is much less expensive than private adoptions. However, many of the organizations that help with foster care adoptions are faith-based, and some of them are biased against people who are gay. Currently, more than 100,000 U.S. children are in the foster care system and are eligible for adoption. Agencies are unable to find enough people to adopt them, but some agencies are still turning away gay people despite their willingness to adopt the children from foster care.
Some gay people have found that private adoptions are easier than adopting out of foster care. While they are more expensive, private adoptions may have better results and less stigmatization of people because they are gay or lesbian. Catholic Charities, which works nationwide, refuses to accept gay and lesbian couples as adoptive parents for foster care adoptions. When they have been ordered to do so in some areas, they have simply closed down their adoption services. Bethany Christian Services likewise does not place children with lesbian or gay couples, but it does refer them to agencies that might help them.
Gay and lesbian people may face more adoption issues than other couples. It is unfortunate that bias continues to be so prevalent across the U.S. against gay and lesbian couples. People who are considering adopting children either privately or out of the foster care system might want to get help from an experienced adoption attorney. A lawyer may help couples to complete the requirements and to complete the adoptions so that they can have the families that they dream about having.
