The Success of LGBTQ Adoption
Adoption is a wonderful way for children to grow up in loving homes. For some couples and individuals, adoption is the solution when they have an inability to conceive a child on their own. For instance, with heterosexual couples, this is a possibility; with LGBTQ couples and individuals, this is a certainty. Many members of the LGBTQ community will choose not to have children, but many more will turn to adoption in order to start a family.
Potential Difficulties
According to a study conducted by the Williams Institute at UCLA, same sex couples are 4.5 times more likely than heterosexual couples to be raising adopted children. Since gay marriage was declared legal in the United States in 2015, the number of same sex couples adopting has skyrocketed. Aside from artificial insemination, adoption is one of the only ways that they can start a family. However, not everybody feels that this is a right LGBTQ people deserve to have. Some LGBTQ adoptions are able to be blocked, depending on the state. Some agencies refute LGBTQ couples and they are protected in doing so because they will not comprise their own religious beliefs.
It is an unfortunate fact that adoption by LGBTQ couples is not a universally accepted concept. However, the capacity for success with same sex couples adopting is a far louder than any bigotry and hatred that might be present.
Our Promise to LGBT Adoptive Parents
Adoption Choices of Colorado does not discriminate and celebrates all the LGBT adoptive parents who walk through our doors. We adhere closely with Colorado law, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, race or religion. We are not politically or religiously affiliated in any way, and will turn you away if you believe something different than we do. Our goal, rather, is to provide a positive and empowering adoption experience to every birth and adoptive parent who we meet.
You will be protected and welcomed no matter what. Our staff is committed to helping you grow your family. Adoption is a complex journey, even without the political side of things. However, we will support you every step of the way and ensure that you are treated with the utmost respect.
Necessary First Steps
Much like a heterosexual couple, any LGBTQ community member will need to follow Adoption Choices of Colorado‘s indicated steps in order to proceed. The first step involves completing the application with us. This will eventually lead to a home study, matching services, placement and post-placement services. It is essential that the information provided on your initial application be factual. This will facilitate relationships between you and our agency easily, and match you with birth parents who have shared goals.
Changing Lives
For many LGBTQ couples, the ability to adopt is life-changing. There are reservations, but the payoff is incredible. Richard and Carlos Seigler-Carter, residents of Brooklyn, New York, shared their success of LGBTQ adoption with Gays With Kids.
“We’ve always known we’ve wanted to be parents; but, to be honest, we were nervous about how folks would receive two black (Jamaican) men raising a baby – an image that is not often as accessible as it should be! However, that challenge isn’t insurmountable in our view, and we are confident that we will help to champion the beauty of the modern family.”
The Seigler-Carter’s willingness to share their story is a beautiful reminder that there is value in the modern family, and there is value in people seeing all the different ways that a family can look.
The Success of LGBTQ Adoption
When asked if they had any advice for prospective LGBTQ adopters, the Seigler-Carter family had this to say:
“Our advice for other couples would be to research, communicate, and be realistic with your expectations. The journey is never easy and there are often a number of unexpected obstacles that arise at the most random times.”
Luckily, Adoption Choices of Colorado is more than willing to aid with research, to be an effective communicator and share realistic (but hopeful) expectations with prospective birth and adoptive parents. Colorado birth and adoptive parents should not feel limited or without resources. We are here to help! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns regarding LGBTQ adoption.
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Call us: 720-371-1099, Call or Text us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Katherine Burns is a journalism student at Loyola University Maryland with plans to pursue a career in the news and magazine industries. With over three years of experience writing for the Greyhound Newspaper at Loyola, Katherine specializes in Op-eds. However, she has recently branched out to cover a variety of topics, including education and sports journalism. She also has ample experience with travel blogging.
Katherine has conducted a variety of interviews in her time at Loyola and has displayed her stories through differing forms of media. In addition to her studies at Loyola, Katherine spent the fall of 2019 studying communications at the American University of Paris. To learn more about Katherine, be sure to check her out on social media.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!