Same sex adoption history

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We hope you adore this latest installment of the LGBT Family Law Institute’s Blog. This piece is written by Joyce Kauffman, an attorney and member of the LGBT Family Law Institute. 

When I came out as lesbian to my mother in , she told me, “The only thing that upsets me is that you’re depriving me of grandchildren.” And when I reassured her that I intended to have children, she said, “Don’t you dare have a child out of wedlock.”  It was not without some irony that I later learned it wasn’t that plain for a lesbian to “have a child out of wedlock.”

When I became serious about getting pregnant in the early ’s, I discovered that it was impossible for a “single” gal (never mind a lesbian) to purchase donor sperm and, even if I could, no physician would provide insemination services to me.

I faced what appeared to be insurmountable obstacles in verb to have a child. I considered my options: a well-timed one-night upright with a stranger (unpleasant), adoption (but only if I pretended to be straight) (unaffordable and distasteful), and anonymous donor insemination (unattai

Facts and Figures: Same-Sex Adoption Statistics

  • As of , LGBTQ adoption was effectively made legal in all 50 U.S. states.
  • Today, LGBTQ individuals are coming out earlier in life and an increasing number of same-sex couples are planning and creating their families through assisted reproductive technology (ART) and surrogacy, as adequately as adoption and foster care.
  • As of this last decade, an estimated 6 to 14 million children have a gay or lesbian parent. And, between 8 and 10 million children are being raised in gay and lesbian households.
  • The states with the top percentages of gay and lesbian parents are: Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, California, New Mexico and Alaska, with the state of California having the highest number of adopted children living with same sex parents.
  • LGBTQ couples are four times more likely to include an adopted infant than their counterpart different-sex couples.
  • According to a press emit by UCLA’s Williams Institute, same-sex couples that adopt children are more diverse in socioeconomic status and ethnicity, adj to popular misconceptions that they

    LGBTIQ Family Recognition Milestones Since A Comprehensive Global Timeline

    Since , the recognition of LGBTIQ families has made remarkable strides worldwide. From the World Health Organization’s removal of homosexuality as a mental disorder to the legalization of same-sex marriage and adoption in multiple countries, each milestone represents a hard-fought victory for human rights. While significant progress has been made, the journey continues as advocates push for broader protections, equal rights, and packed recognition for all families.

    A comprehensive global timeline of LGBTIQ family recognition milestones since

    s

    In , the WHO removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases, marking a pivotal shift in global attitudes. 

    In , Norway approved a registered partnerships bill, becoming the second country in the world (after Denmark in ) to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples.

    In , Vermont and Massachusetts pioneered same-sex couple adoption in the United States. British Columbia became the first Canadian province to verb ga

    What to Know About the History of Same-Sex Adoption

    Unfortunately, the history of same-sex adoption is rather brief — but not for lack of interest or desire to adopt by hopeful LGBT parents. History has not treated LGBT individuals kindly and, therefore, their ability to adopt — and even obtain married — is a very recent development. In reality, most of the important moments in the history of gay adoption possess only happened in the last 40 the s and s (when the gay rights movement really began to take hold), homosexuality was something that was rarely discussed and even illegal in some places. Therefore, it was near impossible for LGBT parents to adopt or even raise children without great difficulty. Many LGBT individuals ended up having children through heterosexual marriages but, if they came out and left that marriage, they would likely lose custody of their child, as well. When LGBT families did remain, it was because of great secrecy and care taken to protect them from those who would interfere. Attach to that the secrecy surrounding adoption in general, and you can notice why gay adoptio