Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Florida Adoption Ban Case
“This ban hurts thousands of Florida children who
deserve loving parents,” said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg.
Human
Rights Campaign, January 10, 2005
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20036-3278
Email: hrc@hrc.org
Contact: Steven Fisher
Phone: (202) 216-1547
Cell: (202) 431-7608
Contact: Mark Shields
Phone: (202) 216-1564
Cell: (202) 716-1637
WASHINGTON—The Human Rights
Campaign expressed disappointment today in the Supreme Court’s refusal to
hear a case challenging Florida’s ban on adoption by gays and lesbians.
Lofton v. Secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families was
seeking to overturn the only state law denying gay and lesbian individuals and
couples the right to adopt children.
“This ban hurts thousands of Florida children who
deserve loving parents,” said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg.
“The Supreme Court’s refusal to hear this case marks its refusal to heed
the advice of all major child welfare organizations and health care
professionals who say that gay parents are no different from other loving
parents.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics, Child Welfare League
of America, the American Medical Association and other leading organizations
have issued policy statements in the last several years saying that sexual
orientation has nothing to do with someone’s ability to be a good parent. A
recent ruling in Arkansas overturned the state’s ban on foster care by gay
parents based largely on the research of such organizations. Florida allows
gay parents to serve as foster parents but then denies them the right to adopt
these children.
“Loving, caring parents are now being denied the
ability to legally protect the children they’ve been raising in foster care
for so long. That’s wrong,” added Stachelberg. “We laud the American
Civil Liberties Union and the families in this case for bringing their stories
forward.”
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members
throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign
support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open,
honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
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