New Gay Adoption Study

[Satya]

So the latest study on gay adoption...

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE58O3MK20090925

...confirms what 2 decades of research on the topic has already found.

Will it make any difference in the state of Florida, the only state which specifically prohibits adoption by gays and lesbians?

A policy which costs the state an estimated $2.5 million a year.

http://repositories.cdlib.org/uclalaw/williams/goldberg_3/

When will people learn that the ideal home for a child is one with two loving people who can care for them, not one with just a "mother" and "father"?

 

[Raccoon Love]

I think anybody should be allowed to adopt a child as long as they are not of nay sort of danger to the child and they are teaching the child the appropriate morals and behavior they need to learn(respect,kindness,modesty,patience...the list can go on forever). I think there's nothing wrong with a person's sexual orientation, and I would prefer 100 % of the time that a child is with a loving same-sex couple than a straight pairing who puts the child through hell. Personally I find it dumb that Florida still does not allow this as I live in Florida.

 

[Lucifer]

You know I saw this thing in my economics class, no wait my American history class. Well anyway it was a bar graph showing the correlation between level of education and prejudice. I was struck by the fact that the bar that referred to having negative views of homosexuality was a lot higher then the others like Id say twice as high.

Its pretty sad prejudice is sooo damn useless.

 

[Rudy]

When will people learn that the ideal home for a child is one with two loving people who can care for them, not one with just a "mother" and "father"?

Every day, or month or year such realization is delayed is a day or month or year too late for some kids... ;.;

Personally I find it dumb that Florida still does not allow this as I live in Florida.

Hey, well, don't hog all the disdain for this backward practice just because you live in Florida! No fair! I don't live in Florida, but I should be able to think it's stupid just the same.

You know I saw this thing in my economics class, no wait my American history class. Well anyway it was a bar graph showing the correlation between level of education and prejudice. I was struck by the fact that the bar that referred to having negative views of homosexuality was a lot higher then the others like Id say twice as high.

Wait, you're saying that the (presumably) negative correlation between education and homophobia was considerably stronger than for other prejudices?

 

[Lucifer]

Wait, you're saying that the (presumably) negative correlation between education and homophobia was considerably stronger than for other prejudices?

No I am saying that the level of homophobia was a lot higher over all.

 

[Rudy]

No I am saying that the level of homophobia was a lot higher over all.

Well, at least a minority I belong to (atheists) are even more hated in America! *thumbsup*

Hmm... wait. Maybe not such a good thing for me... :/

 

[Satya]

Well, at least a minority I belong to (atheists) are even more hated in America! *thumbsup*

I highly doubt that is the case.

Of course, if you could show me a law which denies two atheists from adopting a kid in this country, then it may change my opinion on the matter.

 

[Rudy]

I highly doubt that is the case.

Of course, if you could show me a law which denies two atheists from adopting a kid in this country, then it may change my opinion on the matter.

Here, the research showing that atheists are the most hated/distrusted minority in the US:

http://www.soc.umn.edu/~hartmann/files/atheist%20as%20the%20other.pdf

And an article summarizing the findings:

http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/09/1...eists-are-most-hated-and-distrusted-minority/

 

[TheLastMohican]

I highly doubt that is the case.

Of course, if you could show me a law which denies two atheists from adopting a kid in this country, then it may change my opinion on the matter.

There is a difference between what the law says about a certain group and what the people actually think about them. The Constitution makes it awfully difficult to pass discriminatory legislation on the basis of religion, while minority sexual orientations were relatively recently removed from the list of mental disorders. That's not to say that atheists are not subject to plenty of off-the-record discrimination when it comes to adoptions, just as homosexuals will be long after they are legally allowed to adopt.

 

[Satya]

Here, the research showing that atheists are the most hated/distrusted minority in the US:

http://www.soc.umn.edu/~hartmann/files/atheist%20as%20the%20other.pdf

And an article summarizing the findings:

http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/09/1...eists-are-most-hated-and-distrusted-minority/

The way they pose the questions is loaded.

"This group does not at all agree with my vision of American society…", "Who would I vote for President...", and "Who would I feel comfortable with my child marrying..." are limited predictors of intolerance. (particularly since the last one doesn't even include homosexual as an option).

As such I don't think the conclusion that Atheists are the "most hated" minority group can be drawn.

What I want to see is who would people more likely hire for a job, an atheist or homosexual? Who would they most likely let watch their children? Who would they most likely want as rentors? Those are also predictors of tolerance, and I wouldn't be surprised if the results are different.


Also, you have to consider that homosexuals are automatically labeled as atheist much of the time, even they are practicing in their respective religion.


However, I have to concede that atheists are a much more disliked group than I anticipated.

 

[Rudy]

The way they pose the questions is loaded.

However, I have to concede that atheists are a much more disliked group than I anticipated.

Maybe they are loaded as you say, but the study says something nonetheless. The thing that bothers me the most is this:

"Every group except atheists is being shown much greater tolerance and acceptance than 30 years ago. 'Our analysis shows that attitudes about atheists have not followed the same historical pattern as that for previously marginalized religious groups. It is possible that the increasing tolerance for religious diversity may have heightened awareness of religion itself as the basis for solidarity in American life and sharpened the boundary between believers and nonbelievers in our collective imagination.' "

From: http://atheism.about.com/od/atheistbigotryprejudice/a/AtheitsHated.htm

That is, acceptance of atheists is not increasing very much.



I didn't mean to derail the thread so completely. The point I was trying to make by bringing up the atheist thing is, look on the bright side: Acceptance of homosexuality is getting better. We're improving, though we have a ways to go.

 

[Quinlan]

Where can I adopt a gay?

 

[Satya]

Where can I adopt a gay?

You can adopt me.

I promise I'm almost housebroken.

 

[Soulful]

"We found that sexual orientation of the adoptive parents was not a significant predictor of emotional problems," Paige Averett, an assistant professor of social work at East Carolina University, said in a statement.

"We did find, however, that age and pre-adoptive sexual abuse were," she added.

No shit.

These kinds of articles bewilder me sometimes, because the conclusions seem so obvious. Though I'm glad about this one - hopefully it will help some people see the light. There are so many couples that want to have a family, and so many children who need safe and loving homes. Let's pick up the pace, it's a win-win