LGBT community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) (OR) Gay couple and Single parents also wish to adopt children to fulfil their need to start a family. Step-parent adoption is when one partner of a same-sex couple adopts the biological child of the other partner.
There are 27 countries and some sub-national territories that favour gay adoption. Step-child adoption is also legalized by five countries apart from these 27 countries. However, various prominent countries still have a ban on gay adoption. Though there are many requests raised to legalize gay adoption, legalization on a global level is yet to be accomplished.
Concerns regarding the ability of same-sex and single parents to provide good parenting to a child are one of the main reasons many countries do not legalize same-sex and single-parent adoption. Many countries conduct researches to understand the reason why a gay couple or single parents face failed parenting; however, these researches are unsuccessful in getting to the root of the matter.
Country wise understanding of adoption rules
- Countries such as Andorra, Argentina, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, South Africa, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Uruguay, and the Surrogacy in United Kingdom have legalized full gay adoption. However, Northern Island of the United Kingdom is yet to finalize on legal gay adoption policy.
- Gay couples surrogacy can legally adopt children from Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory, and New South Wales in Australia. Mexico City, Mexico also has a legal gay adoption system.
- Washington D.C., New Jersey, Oregon, Indiana, Maine, Vermont, Florida, Connecticut, New York, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Guam are states in the United States that have legalized gay adoption.
- Columbia had a ban on gay adoption initially. This ban was lifted in November 2015, enabling its gay citizens to adopt children from Columbia.
- Brazil is open to both LGBT couple single parents adopting children. However, they have rules and regulations in place that needs to be followed by intended parents:
- Intended parent has to be 25 years of age or above.
- A 16 years age gap between the intended parent and the child is mandatory.
- International couples or single parents interested in adopting from Brazil need to visit the country to finish their in-country adoption process that requires for the intended parents to stay in Brazil for about 35 to 45 days.
- In Mexico, there are some states that allow a gay couple for international adoption. The adoption is legally permissible as per Mexican International Gay adoption laws only if the intended parents have been married for two years at least. This law is in place to ensure that the intended parents give the right parenting to the children.
- The Philippines does not recognize same-sex marriage by law. It is hence not legally possible for same-sex the Philippines citizens to adopt a child. The U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs stated that the Philippines has not expressly forbidden LGBT from adopting a child. Filipino Law Group declared that they would help same-sex couple adopt children based on this fact.
Considering all the above parameters, Same-Sex couples and single parents do not need to be disheartened about adoption. While it is difficult for them to adopt a child in many countries, it is not entirely impossible to accomplish this. Over 16,000 LGBT couples have adopted over 22,000 children legally just in the United States of America since the time LGBT adoption was legalized.
With information on what countries legally support gay couple surrogacy or single parent adoption, there is always a possibility of the intended parents visiting a country that legally recognizes LGBT couple or single parent adoption and honouring their wish to start a family.