My partner, who is originally from Virginia, and I live in California. He moved to California for a variety of reasons, but one was to seek out a less discriminatory and hostile environment for gay people. We have been together for nearly 16 years, and now we are adopting a beautiful baby girl who needs a loving home. She is healthy, thriving and in the care of two adoring, supportive and devoted parents, both of whom happen to be men. In California, adoption by same sex couples happens all of the time and is perfectly regular. In fact, it's sort of boring. 

We would like to come to Virginia to visit our family and friends who are there. We would like to come to a state that we know was upholding the principles of equal treatment under the law and was opposed to discrimination in its adoption practices and procedures and policies. Children need homes and they need to be loved. They do not need to be judged or have their loving families judged and discriminated against. It is harmful to children to a child's family to be discriminated against. 

Adoption regulations should prevent discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religious affiliation, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or political affiliation. All adoption organizations must be subject to these regulations.