Pride’s Blog that Adoption.com and its affiliates had lost an
important court case in California. The company, which advertises
itself as the #1 online destination for adoption services
nationwide, was found guilty of discriminating against a gay couple
under California law. The site refused to post the couple’s
profile simply because they are gay.
Further investigation showed that Adoption.com, ParentProfiles.com
and others are religiously motivated organizations with strong ties
to ultraconservative legal groups, such as the Alliance Defense
Fund.
Rather than ending their discriminatory behavior and continuing to
service the hundreds of prospective adoptive families in
California, Adoption.com decided to stop doing business in the
Golden State.
Family Pride responded by calling our members to action.
Numerous families responded, sending messages to
ParentProfiles.com. Family stories and photos were shared with
people who claim that a married mom and dad couple is the only kind
fit for parenting.
This could very well be the first time these people have
experienced an LGBTQ family.
While we do not claim to have changed all of their hearts and minds
this time, we know that starting the conversation with the fact of
our families is the right way to go. To ensure that LGBTQ family
voices are heard, we at Family Pride are now preparing a package of
materials to send to Adoption.com headquarters in Gilbert, Arizona.
Included in that package will be hard copies of each e-mail message
sent to ParentProfiles.com and forwarded to Family Pride. Also
included will be a letter from Family Pride’s Executive Director,
Jennifer Chrisler, reminding these people what really matters when
it comes to adoption: placing all adoptable children with loving,
permanent families.
If you suspect that you’re the victim of discrimination based on
your sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression, contact
Family Pride or
the legal organizations that protect our families: the National Center for Lesbian Rights,
The ACLU LGBT
Project, Lambda Legal and
GLAD (New England). To report
discrimination immediately, contact your state attorney general’s
office. The attorneys general typically process civil rights and
discrimination complaints.
In the meantime, read Jennifer’s letter, posted below. If you
can’t read it, click to download the PDF.