Proposed regulations to prevent gay and lesbian Virginians from adopting children are discriminatory.  Such regulations are part of the Republican ideology which seeks to "demonize" gays and lesbians.

There is no research which shows that children do not develop and prosper with same sex parents and lead happy and healthy lives as they would with heterosexual parents.  The key to family life is love, pure and simple.

1. The best interests of the child should be the sole factor in deciding whether a child should be placed with a prospective foster care or adoptive parent or parents
2. State-licensed child placing agencies should not be allowed to discriminate against children or prospective parents based on race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, disability and family status
3. The State Board of Social Services should restore to the final rules the protections against such discrimination included in the proposed rules