State: Gay adoption push renewed

TALLAHASSEE - Florida's three-decades-old ban on allowing gays to adopt children is under attack once again.

But the ban has powerful allies, including Gov. Charlie Crist and Sen. Ronda Storms of Brandon, who ran for office on a pledge to prevent gays from being foster parents.

Florida is one of three states, with Mississippi and Utah, that prohibits gays from adopting.

Some state lawmakers, backed by human rights and gay rights groups, want to allow gay foster parents to adopt children if a judge rules it's in the child's best interest or if a gay adult were the legal guardian of a child whose biological parents had died.

"We're coming back this year," said Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, a sponsor of the bill. "Every child needs and deserves a permanent, loving home."

Rich said 3,900 foster children are languishing in the system, burdening taxpayers as they await placement in permanent homes.

Three dozen groups formed the Coalition for Fair Adoption to push for a removal of the ban. They include the National Council of Jewish Women, ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Equality Florida, National Center for Lesbian Rights and Pasco Pride.

Cathy James of Tampa said she has long cared for the 7-year-old biological son of her partner. "I have no legal standing in my child's life," James said.

Rich's bill to repeal the ban has been assigned to a committee headed by Storms, who shows no interest in holding a hearing on the issue. As a Hillsborough County commissioner, Storms led an effort to stop official recognition of gay pride events.

"We're just weighing all the bills. There's lots of bills," Storms said Wednesday after her Children, Families & Elder Affairs Committee took up seven other bills and adjourned 90 minutes ahead of schedule.

The chairman of a committee usually decides which bills to schedule for a vote. A bill can die if it's not heard.

Crist's opposition to allowing gays to adopt children was an issue in the race for governor last fall. Crist supported the ban, though he favored civil unions between gay couples and called himself a "live-and-let-live" person.

'"My view is always that the traditional family is best for the child," Crist said Wednesday.

Crist's opponent, Democrat Jim Davis, said a judge should make the decision, regardless of the parents' sexual orientation.

The Legislature imposed the gay adoption ban in 1977, a time when singer Anita Bryant led a movement to repeal a Miami-Dade law that banned discrimination against gays.

Times staff writer Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler and Times researcher Mary Mellstrom contributed to this report. Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com or 850 224-7263.

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Comments on this article

by neil	05/05/07 05:22 PM
too bad we can't take away the children of people like storms who are hate filled bigots. I shudder to think how hers will turn out. They don't have a chance. It's obvious her real love is political grandstanding, not her children. What a phony.

by Sue	04/02/07 08:31 PM
Karen, You must be naive and I hope you wise up before you have your own children to protect. Most pedophiles are straight married males with children in the household.On average they attack 60 victims before they are found out.It's power, not gender

by Sue	04/02/07 08:23 PM
Laura, Something tells be you wouldn't know the average gay if you fell over him. Sleep around? Meet Henry- Over 50 years with the same man. Weak? The people behind this site are stronger than you'll ever be. Weak? They put up with your garbage.

by IssyWise	03/24/07 09:25 PM
Pandering to hate and ignorance at the expense of the childhoods of wards of the state who could have permanent loving homes rather than temporary holding residences is a sin. We should all be ashamed of our leaders and ourselves.

by Tami	03/21/07 02:06 PM
It is criminal to let children without a loving home or separate a group of brothers and sisters just because the families who can take them in are gay.It is time for a change . By the way did you ever calaculate the foster fees for 3900 kids?

by Alex	03/17/07 12:05 AM
I'am a former fosterkid who did not want gay parents for the same reason .

by Darrel	03/16/07 11:59 PM
Same sex relationships why would they not sleep with a child of the same sex? Their already screwed up in the head to begin with.

by Billy	03/16/07 01:12 PM
Karen must be right because I've never seen heterosexuals molest nor have I seen them in "on and off" relationships. Thank goodness people like her exist to set the record straight.

by Bob	03/16/07 01:03 PM
Hi GLenn, We are glad you moved too. You keep watching your cats and we will enjoy the sunshine and warmth.

by Glenn	03/16/07 01:03 AM
I am so happy I moved. We just laught at you all up north. It's like watching cats in the rain.

by Glenn	03/16/07 01:02 AM
Ray, if your wife can't get pregnant I support you adopting or having invitro-fertilization, even though God didn't want it that way.

by Glenn	03/16/07 01:00 AM
I pray daily that God will have mercy on the souls of the judgemental bigots who have to have the bible read and explained to them because they are too simple to read it themselves. "Love others as I have loved you". Look it up. We are all sinners.

by Ellen	03/15/07 11:46 PM
Start emailing Storms. Show her what storm really is. Start mentioning "recall election". See how she reacts then!

by Vickie	03/15/07 07:35 PM
Oh boy,Karen.I sure HOPE you wrote that VERY IGNORANT statement only as a joke to stir up a firestorm and watch all the responses come posting in because if you BELIEVE your words you are IN NEED OF PROFESSIONAL HELP.It's scary! Laura,and Lisa too!!

by Carrie	03/15/07 05:56 PM
Gay people are child molesters? Give me a break. Let's see your proof. Did not think so. Do the rest of us a break and do not have kids. Save the gene pool.

by Lisa	03/15/07 05:52 PM
I would rather have a loving couple raise a child (gay or straight) than some of the people posting on here. Your intolerant views are horrible. You would rather a child suffer than have a loving home. Get more education and less blind faith.

by Lisa	03/15/07 05:50 PM
Why is it "brainwash" if gay people raise a child to believe in equality but not brainwash for hetero couples to raise their child to hate? Yet another double standard. Most of you should be ashamed of yourselves.

by RevKing	03/15/07 05:04 PM
I have a dream... of a Florida where all persons are treated equal... where children who need a loving home can find one with loving adults, no matter what their gender...I have a dream of a Florida free of bigotry, ignorance and hatred. Amen

by Lisa	03/15/07 04:41 PM
Gay people want children so they can try to brainwash them in thinking being Gay is OK. Well, it is not ok, and children need to know that. I am not preaching hate toward gays, but an understanding they need therapy not total acceptance.

by Laura	03/15/07 04:41 PM
Children need a stable home with a mother, and father. There are bad homes with mothers, and fathers but people tend to exagerate things. Gays are to weak, and sleep around. They will not teach kids strict disipline needed to be productive adults.

by mom	03/15/07 04:40 PM
what????

by Karen	03/15/07 04:34 PM
A boy needs a father figure,and a girl needs a mother figure. Gays only want to adopt to prove their points. Besides most of the people who are gay are also child molesters,and have many on , and off relationships. There is a reason why it is wrong.

by Greg	03/15/07 04:33 PM
It's sad that you think "people will not change", because YOU certainly need to change your ways of thinking!

by Jack	03/15/07 04:28 PM
Ronda, Two, four, six, eight. How do you know your kids are straight?

by Sam	03/15/07 03:56 PM
Fact is that the law will not change. People will not change. Homosexuals cannot provide a loving and healthy home to a child. Yes, there are many bad parents out there, but we don't need to put them with upfront problems as Gay couples. Fact of life

by Lisa	03/15/07 03:44 PM
Some people may be good natured but their religious views are supressing that. They are the ones who refuse to listen/believe anything because of religion. Sadly they would be the first to drink the koolaid because they were told to did not question.

by Winston	03/15/07 03:30 PM
If Floridians all Gay adoption, Property taxes will rise, Insurance will be cancelled...whoops, too late. A loving home is a loving home, no matter the gender of the parents.

by jim	03/15/07 03:28 PM
So, Gov is against gay adoptions...is that why he's childless?

by MSV	03/15/07 03:19 PM
to paraphrase Julie..just because there's a need for foster parents doesn't mean we need to put kids in an unhealthy environment like a bigotted couple. It's no different than putting them with the radically religious or molesters (ie RC preists)

by John	03/15/07 03:18 PM
Our 2 sons have the same straight mother, but different unknown fathers. They were trapped in the state system for many years, giving their mother too many chances to take care of them. Any people that love and care for kids should be able to adopt.

by JT	03/15/07 03:15 PM
Many good points being made. Amazing how those who want acceptance of their ways seek to insult those who differ. The anti-Christian hate speech being put forth here at times should cease. No arguement is made better by insult. The kids need help...

by Carrie	03/15/07 02:59 PM
Back in the 50s and 60s people were using these arguments against minorities. In 20 years what will they say about us? Aside from the fact that those who were fighting this were proven wrong.

by Greg	03/15/07 02:49 PM
I cannot believe there are people as ignorant as Erik and Julie...you are much more detrimental to children with your hatred and any gay person I've ever met!

by Vickie	03/15/07 01:53 PM
I am wondering JUST HOW it is that Homosexuals are SUPPOSED to be ripping apart the "fabric of our society".Violent crime,INTOLERANCE,self-serving individuals,war,poverty,BIGGOTRY,corrupt politics,and so forth and so on is WHAT is;NOT HOMOSEXUALITY.

by Lee	03/15/07 01:37 PM
JB, how is it homosexuals would understand having only one gender at home? Most were raised by two parents, many were raised with the same set of parents, no record of divorce. Straight parents raise gay kids, gay parents can raise straight kids.

Politics

Gay adoption push renewed