When I was looking for a job 15 years ago, with my newly-minted graduate degree, I was willing to take any counseling position that allowed me to be home after school for my children. One of the jobs I pursued was that of a contract social worker for an adoption homestudy agency in Raleigh. This was quite an attractive job in that it offered flexible hours, a positive client population and a decent salary. There were many applicants applying for this position.
Out of all of those applicants, some with extensive adoption experience, I was selected. Why? My selection was because I answered one question correctly. The question; you guessed it,”Will you work with same-sex couples?” Seems this agency did not have any Charlotte area social workers who were willing to work with same-sex couples.
Fast forward 15 years later to 2012. Is this level of prejudice and homophobia present in today’s adoption community? The answer is, not at that level, but in some circumstances you may find discrimination. Despite some instances of discrimination, I am delighted to report that it is very possible to successfully adopt as a same-sex couple today. The most important factors in achieving this goal are in selecting excellent gay friendly agencies.