Tennessee
lawmakers consider three antigay adoption bills

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)