News
2006-04-06
Tennessee
lawmakers consider three antigay adoption bills
Adoption battle
heats up in Tennessee
The adoption
debate is heating up again in Tenn
The adoption
debate is heating up again in Tennessee with three
potentially antigay, antifamily bills being considered at a
special hearing next week in the statehouse in
Nashville. Last year conservative lawmakers there
introduced eight bills that would have prohibited gay
people from adopting children or becoming foster
parents, but none were passed.
This year, however, many of those same bills are
returning at committee level, such as the three bills
at issue at the hearing. One expands the definition of
biological parents; another clarifies parental rights,
including guardianship for adoption; and the third changes a
definition regarding termination of rights in child
custody matters. All can be deliberately amended to
discriminate against LGBT parents.
"These measures are very likely to be amended
and become specifically antigay as they pertain to
adoption and child custody language," Jennifer
Chrisler, executive director of the national group Family
Pride Coalition, said in a statement. "If they are
amended and pass, thousands of children in need will
be denied safe, loving, and permanent homes."
Last month a key Tennessee legislator made
disparaging, scientifically unfounded remarks about
gay parents in response to an e-mail from a Vanderbilt
University graduate student urging her and other lawmakers
to oppose any antigay adoption measures. "Research
shows that most homosexual couples have numerous
emotional dysfunctions and psychological issues that
may not be healthy for children," state representative
Debra Maggart wrote. (The Advocate)
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