On Friday, Kansas governor Jeff Colyer signed a bill into state law legalizing discrimination against LGBT persons looking to adopt. This news comes just one week after Oklahoma’s governor Mary Fallin signed a similar bill.
Senate Bill 284 enables adoption agencies in Kansas, even those which receive taxpayer funds, to deny children placement into homes with LGBT parents over “religious objections.”
Both houses of the legislature approved the bill this month.
It’s worth mentioning that technically the law could also permit these agencies to subject LGBT children in foster care to conversion therapy.
According to The Wichita Eagle, Colyer said: “What I want Kansans to know is this is about fairness and that we are protecting everyone. It’s not about discrimination; it’s about fairness. We’re looking after those kids that need a forever home.”
JoDee Winterhof, senior VP of Policy and Political Affairs at the Human Rights Campaign, condemned the bill in a press release: “Kansas now joins Oklahoma as the only states to allow anti-LGBTQ state bills to become law this year. Kansas lawmakers, from the legislature to the governor, are clearly stating that it is more important to them to discriminate against their own constituents than it is to find loving homes for children in need. Make no mistake: this law will harm the kids, families and reputation of this state.”
Kansas is the ninth state to enact an adoption law permitting agencies to deny placement into homes over religious objections; the others are Alabama, Michigan, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and Oklahoma.
The new adoption law isn’t the only current anti-LGBT law in Kansas. In 2016, former Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill allowing student organization’s at public universities in the state to deny membership to LGBT students. Brownback is now United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom under the Trump Administration.
Earlier this week, Colyer and six other Republican governors signed a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee saying president Trump should get the Nobel Peace Prize for “his transformative efforts to bring peace to the Korean peninsula."
Astonishing. With everything
Astonishing. With everything going on in our Country, we have Legislative Catastrophes such as this? There are countless children in dire need, wanting to be loved and in loving homes. Sadly this law reflects not only an ignorant point of view, but it shows lack of concern, compassion, and desire to allow these children to be placed in more than good and qualified homes. Just because a couple is “Herero” does not automatically define their home as a dysfunctional-zone. In fact, we all have dysfunction of sorts. Why not treat everyone fairly, allow all couples to go through the application and screening process. Give these children a chance to be in a loving home!
Obviously, bigotry, prejudice
Obviously, bigotry, prejudice, hatred, and simply put… uneducated ignorance, fully exists in the political arenas of Kansas and Oklahoma. Sad times for the children of these two states who desperately need homes, and warrant the love & affection same sex couples can provide them. It's difficult to imagine these elected officials would prefer these young people linger in foster care, than to be provided with warm and caring parental care…