In a groundbreaking vote of 161 to 103, Greece has passed legislation that will allow gay couples to foster children. While adoption is still not allowed for gay couples in Greece, this new law will allow same-sex couples in civil partnerships to opportunity to ‘play parent’ while the child is in the process of returning to their ‘natural’ parents.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke about the passing of the bill in Parliament according to The Greek Observer:
The major issue today is the state’s stance before children deprived of the opportunity to live a normal life, and growing up in institutions. (These) children who until now were unfortunately invisible to the state: children of a lesser God, deprived of the right to live and grow up in a home, in a family.
I have the feeling that the public discussion focused, wrongly in my opinion, on a single article of the draft law which I do not consider minor. Children we should have in mind today.
Fostering provides for the return of the child to its natural parents, who must retain contact with the child during its fostering time. It would not be an exaggeration to say that fostering is an act of altruism, solidarity and service of those who choose it.
…meaning gays.
Greece still has not seen marriage equality, and the country seems to be behind on progress for the LGBT community. But this is yet another great step in the right direction. In recent years, Greece has allowed transgender individuals to legally transition as well as insured equality in the workplace regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
