Discrimination has no place in the decision-making around what is best for a child entering into foster care or adoption. Allowing state-licensed agencies to discriminate against children or prospective caregivers/parents based on age, sex, religion, poilitical beliefs, ethinicity, sexual orientation, race has no place in this process.

There is absolutely no scientific or sociological evidence gay, lesbian, or bisexual people make better or worse parents and caregivers than straight people. Indeed, all legitimate research shows that straight and non-straight parents are indistinquishable in parenting skills and in the health and well-being of the children they raise. There is simply no way to tell the difference between which child was raised by a straight person and which one was raised by a non-straight person.

Private agencies that decide to become licensed by the state should have to follow all non-discrimination policies just as if they were the state. They give up their private status when they choose to become state-licensed. Allowing them to impose their own discriminatory policies on this process is not in keeping with what Thomas Jefferson and the other founders desired for us in the Virginia Declaration of Religious Freedom and the United States Constitution.

Please do what is best for the child and do not allow private agencies to impose their own agendas and fear mongering onto an already delicate and important process.

Do not discount this comment as I am a straight, church-going, Christian.