Abstract

Are Children Adoption Policy Impacted by Same-Sex-Marriages
Track: Health and Human Services
Authors: Tony Graham, Kache Byrd

How has the passing of "same-sex marriage laws impacted a states policy on adoption of children by a married couple? How have same-sex marriage and their ability to adoption of children affected the dynamic of the American household? Since the passing of same-sex marriage laws, in 2004, there has been a proliferation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals who plan to or are currently trying to jointly adopt children. Collected data reflects the legalization of same-sex marriage laws, for all fifty (50) states, and their respective states' same-sex marriage statues; such as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Additional data sets were mapped to indicate changes in each state's children adoption policies. This report uses choropleth maps to show which states have passed laws and policy from 2004 through 2011 that indicate growing trends of same-sex marriages to the changes of children adoption policies in the fifty (50) states.