By Elizabeth Cotterell
With many changes taking place at the national level, there has been much concern from LGBT families regarding the status of their completed adoptions and/or adoptions in progress. Families wonder whether they should continue to consider, or pursue, adoption at this time.
In the state of California, there is currently no threat to prospective or existing adoptions, and there is no reason that LGBT individuals/couples should refrain from adopting at this time. California law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and cannot be overruled by even an Executive Order. Furthermore, there was a recent Supreme Court decision, V.L. v. E.L, which requires that states give full faith and credit to adoption judgments from other states. This means that all adoptions that are finalized in California must be respected—full faith and credit—in other states, regardless of that state’s laws and policies.
It is possible that there will be an executive order issued allowing child welfare organizations and adoption agencies to discriminate on religious grounds, as there has been recent legislation to this effect in other states. California law, however, would still prohibit this in the state of California.
There are currently over 60,000 children in foster care in California. Many of these children need permanent adoptive families. For all individuals and couples, now is a great time to consider becoming adoptive parents and to begin the process.
Family Builders can be reached at 510-536-5437.
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