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U.S. Gay Couples Banned From Russian Adoption 


US RUSSIAN ADOPTION X390

The latest round of discussions on the U.S.-Russia adoption policy began Wednesday, and already it has been decided U.S. gay couples will not be allowed to adopt Russian children.

Only heterosexual couples will be allowed to adopt because Russia does not recognize same-sex relationships, Alina Levitskaya, a senior official at the Education and Science Ministry, said in a statement Wednesday.

Negotiations will continue throughout the week. U.S. and Russian officials are still trying to determine how to monitor adopted children and the possible transfer to new families if something goes wrong.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Joe Smith
    Date posted: 7/25/2010 7:25:34 AM
    Hometown: New Your

    Comment:

    Just curious....How many American kids are open to Russians for adoption?

  • Name: Corey
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 6:09:12 PM
    Hometown: Ottawa, Canada

    Comment:

    @Shane. It actually took only 3 months from contacting the agency until our son arrived. However, we did the adoption through Israel where we were living at the time. Israeli adoption agencies seem to be quicker than in North America- I suspect because they give better bribes for officials in the government system. Our file was quick even by Israeli standards and we were very lucky. By the way, I am not sure if all agencies give "gifts" (bribes) to government officials but that is how it worked in our case. In the Ukraine you need 23 stamps on your adoption certificate to make it legal. Each office is open for a few hours. Showing up with a new chair for the manager seemed to help get your stamp quickly. It was dirty and disgusting (all this bribery for children!!!!) but that is how it seems to work in the developing world. In the end, we have an amazing child. I wish the system was for the benefit of children. But sadly, it is not.

  • Name: Georgine
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 5:37:47 PM
    Hometown: Little Italy, NY

    Comment:

    Why is the U.S. conducting any kind of business with or negotiating with a country with such blatant human rights violations? Many U.S. cities, colleges and universities have non-discrimination ordinances in which they will not do business of any kind with an entitle that violates those policies. U.S. should follow suit. There are tons of children in need of adoptive parents here in the U.S. Poor kids. But it is us adults who should be ashamed for not advocating more strongly on their behalf. What's a little e-mail to a money-making news tabloid going to do to help these kids or change policies to benefit them? Not a thing. Get off your duffs and do something, you lazy bunch of apathetic winers.

  • Name: Charles
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 4:11:41 PM
    Hometown: Austin, TX

    Comment:

    Really the United States needs to figure out how to get all its own children adopted into homes before it continues going around the world trying to adopt the rest of the world's children. While it is worthwhile to adopt the children of the world we have a lot of children here who are having a hard time finding homes due to special needs, age, and a difficult adooption process that excludes GLBTs at times. If the country that the United States is willing to work with wants to put up roadblocks like discriminatory policies then they should refuse to work with them or demand equitable policies.

  • Name: Rider
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 2:59:10 PM
    Hometown: FL

    Comment:

    I know of a lesbian who made regular trips to Russia to help faciltate adoptions for others. Of corse she ended up takeing several children into her own home..many with medical issues who otherwise would have not had a chance. What a shameful world we live in!

  • Name: Joseph
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 1:24:32 PM
    Hometown: New Jersey

    Comment:

    The good (???) news is that there are plenty of children here in the United States of America in need of a loving home either permanently or via foster care. There's no need to travel around the world to help out a child. Check out adoptuskids.org for more information on U.S. adoption and to find a child to help.

  • Name: Larry
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 11:20:17 AM
    Hometown: NYC

    Comment:

    Seriously? The U.S. negotiating team agreed with this looniness? So much for the children.

  • Name: Shane
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 10:03:54 AM
    Hometown: Oceanside CA

    Comment:

    Corey, how long did the process take?

  • Name: Corey
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 8:48:30 AM
    Hometown: Ottawa, Canada

    Comment:

    We are a gay couple who adopted a child in the Ukraine in 2001. We had to do it as a single parent adoption. At that time we were told that each month in the Ukraine 2000 children were put up for adoption and only 1000 were adopted out. Each month. And the Ukraine is smaller than Russia. Those not adopted out, we were told, end up on the streets as teenagers. This is about homophobia and not "what is best for the child".

  • Name: Morgan
    Date posted: 7/22/2010 8:42:37 AM
    Hometown: Burlington

    Comment:

    The only people they are truly hurting is the children which is horrible.



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