It's no secret that LGBTQ+ couples hit roadblocks/obstacles when it comes to the adoption process due to prevailing biases. These hurdles include discrimination from agencies and birth families, delays or disruptions in the placement process, and murky laws about who gets to adopt.
It's especially troubling since gay and lesbian couples commonly choose adoption to start a family, according to a 2017 study published by the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services. Several studies show that same-sex couples are more likely to adopt children of color, especially Black children.
"Although white adoptive parents, in general, are more likely to transracially adopt Hispanic and Asian children, white single and same-sex adoptive parents are significantly more likely to adopt black children," according to a 2012 study from Sociological Perspectives. Transracial in this context means parents adopting children of a different race.
Unfortunately, there's scant research or information about the unique challenges Black LGBTQ+ couples may face compared to white couples. Various studies that touch on the topic have huge gaps in years. It's especially concerning since research suggests that parenting is more common among Black LGBTQ+ people than white people in the community.
A study published in 2003 found that Black LGBTQ+ parents might be inappropriately impacted by laws and policies meant to discourage or inhibit LGBTQ+ people from adopting across the country:
"The overrepresentation of Black children in the foster care system, the greater prevalence of Black LGBT parents indicates that anti-gay parenting policies may threaten the Black community as a whole by significantly reducing the potential pool of foster and adoptive parents."
Nonprofits Movement Advancement Project, Family Equality, and the Center for American Progress also put out a 2012 fact sheet that illustrates other challenges Black LGBTQ+ parents may face before and after the adoption process. The "double jeopardy" of their minority statuses can complicate things, such as access to health care, economic disparity, social stigmas, and much more. It also doesn't help that some organizations meant to service LGBTQ+ communities are located in neighborhoods where people of color don't live, according to the fact sheet.
Overall, it seems that while LGBTQ+ people still have to deal with barriers to adoption, Black people in the community are often overlooked and rarely addressed when it comes to these issues. Since there is more awareness about the various obstacles and disparities Black people face, hopefully, that spotlight can be shined upon Black LGBTQ+ people wanting to start a family.
The Black Information Network also has a list of resources dedicated to helping Black people in the LGBTQ+ community. You can check out that list HERE.
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