As the director of a crisis pregnancy center in Falls Church, VA, I recently asked a pregnant teen, if she would consider adoption plan for her baby.  Her response was,

"I don't want to give my baby to a "gay" couple.  I asked, "Who said you would have to do that?"  She replied, "That's the way it is now in DC where I live."   

I replied, "Certainly that must be some misinformation."

I called an adoption counselor from Bethany Christian Services who actually said they do not do adoptions in D.C. because they did not want to be forced to have homosexual couples as part of their faith-based program.  I called Catholic Charities and they said the same thing.

In April 2011, an attempted change in the adoption regulations was rejected by the Virginia Board of the Department of Social Services. The proposed language would have required agencies to place children with same-sex couples. It would have forced Catholic agencies, including ours, to choose between upholding Catholic moral and social teaching and providing services. It would also be an egregious violation of religious liberty. Our Faith and our services cannot be separated.

We are not bigots.  We are not "homophobes".  There are plenty of agencies that accept homosexual couples.  Catholic Charities or any other Christian group should not be FORCED to compromise their moral teaching.  They should be able to operate while upholding our faith.

Sincerely,

Dolores Wisecarver

Executive Director

A Woman's Choice

Falls Church, VA