November is National Adoption Month.
Across the United States, over 110,000 children and youth are living in foster care and waiting to be adopted; waiting to be placed with a loving, “forever family.”
Family Equality Council is proud to make improving child welfare systems and adoption placement rates a centerpiece of our mission, and during National Adoption Month, we focus special attention on the stories of LGBTQ families formed through adoption, to help reveal some of the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ youth, and LGBTQ parents, when navigating the adoption process.
Family Equality Council gratefully acknowledges Johnson’s® as the sponsor of our 2018 Nation Adoption Month campaign, supporting happy, healthy babies and all the families that love them.
National Adoption Month Stories
READ | Nov 1, 2018
Our Path to Adoption: How We Found An Unexpected Ally
“Grandma told us that before she gave the kids up to foster care, she asked her church for help finding these kids a home. No one came forward. When she went back to church and told the pastor that the kids were with two gay men, all of the sudden the church was full of options. But it was too late, Grandma realized that these kids are the kids that Wes and I have been dreaming of…”
LISTEN | Nov 1, 2018
Outspoken Voices Podcast Episode 2.24: A Forever Home for Every Child
Julie Kruse, Family Equality Council’s Director of Federal Policy and Schylar Baber, Voice for Adoption’s National Director join Emily McGranachan to discuss the Every Child Deserve a Family Campaign, share personal stories, and dive into what LGBTQ youth and parents are facing in the child welfare system.
LISTEN | Nov 6, 2018
Outspoken Voices Podcast Episode 2.25: Latinx Irish Soda Bread
Rosemary Caldwell Llewellyn reflects on her experiences growing up in a trans-racial adoptive family, her identity, and how her parents supported her through the years.
READ | Nov 7, 2018
How Discrimination Almost Kept a Celebrated Doctor from Adopting his Daughter
“The process of adoption brought Christopher Harris through three different agencies, having faced discrimination at the first two. Although he superseded all requirements — having five recommendation letters and taking additional parenting courses on top of extensive paperwork — Harris often found himself waiting for months to years with no word from the agencies where he had placed all his resources.”
Read Dr. Harris’ adoption story
READ | Nov 12, 2018
Home for the Holidays: Ellen & Missy’s Adoption Story
“I would just say for any parents looking to adopt, the process at times can seem extremely tedious and it could be hard — the waiting and the process they put you through. But if you want it in your heart it would be beyond anything you can imagine.”
Read Ellen & Missy’s adoption story
READ | Nov 16, 2018
Scott and Josh in Florida: It Takes a Village
“We were running away from a community that was our community, and also a community that needed to see us, visibly… They needed to understand that we are out there and we deserve the same rights and laws as them.”
Read Josh & Scott’s adoption story
LISTEN | Nov 20, 2018
Outspoken Voices Podcast Episode 2.26: We Chose Each Other
After years in the child welfare system, twelve-year-old cancer survivor Derrik found his forever home with dads Jason and Courter. The road through foster care and cross-state adoption wasn’t easy for the family. As dad Jason says, they are a powerful example of why LGBTQ parents AND youth shouldn’t be discriminated against in the child welfare system.
READ | Nov 25, 2018
Trystan & Biff’s Adoption Story
“I think for me, one of the big lessons is that when you are parenting children and there is uncertainty about when you can be in their life, you have to put aside your own desires and do what is best for the kids.”
Read Trystan & Biff’s adoption story
READ | Nov 29, 2018
The Buckles Family: Finding Abundant Love through Adoption
“Family is made in so many different ways. I really thought that my family would be biologically mine and it would be some how ‘less than’ if it happened any other way. That hasn’t been the case at all. We have found abundant love…. I really feel like Izzy and Isaac were waiting for us all along.”
Read the Buckles Family adoption story
New Toolkit Released for Local LGBTQ Family Groups!
This month we have released a new toolkit to help empowering local LGBTQ family groups to learn about options for family building! This toolkit is part of the library of resources made available to members of Family Equality Council’s National Network of LGBTQ Family Groups. If you are involved with a local group and would like to learn more, click here to complete an application.
New Resources!
We’re marking National Adoption Month by launching some brand new resources to help LGBTQ families, and LGBTQ folks who are considering becoming parents.
Find more resources for LGBTQ family-building on our Path2Parenthood page: click here to get started.
Sharable Infographics
Spread the word about National Adoption Month and LGBTQ families! Click here for more infographics you can share directly on social media:
