However, there are 16 states that definitely allow joint gay adoptions (when a same-sex couple jointly petition for adoption): Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
• Other states allow second parent adoption by law. Second parent adoption is when one person adopts the child of his partner. These states include: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
• Still, people have successfully done second parent adoptions in the following 16 states as well: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington.
• The most restrictive states are Mississippi and Utah, where same sex couples cannot legally adopt at …show more content…
Adocates throughout the world came together with one voice to fight for marital rights for same sex couples. According to an article in the Huffington Post, Liebelson and Terkel, reports that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that it is legal for all Americans, no matter their gender or sexual orienation, to marry the people they love. The decision is a historic victory of gay rights activitsts who have fought for years in the lower courts. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia already recognize marriage equality. The remaining 13 states ban these unions, even as public support have reached record levels nationwide. The justices found that, under the 4th Amendment, states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize same-sex unions that have been legally performed in other states. Justice Anthony Kennedy delivered the majority opinion and was joined by Justices Ruth BaderGinsburg, Elena Kagan, Stephen Breyer and Sonai Sotomayor. In a rare move, the four dissenting justices each wrote an opinion (Dana Liebelson and Amanda Terkel,