Dear Sir or Madam,

I write to urge you to support changes to Virginia adoptions policies.  Virginia's current policies are discriminatory and negatively affect not only prospective parents but also the 6,000 children in Virginia's foster care system.  

As a Ph.D. candidate in cultural anthropology, I can assure you that, despite hysterical responses by right-wing Virginians, there is simply no scientific evidence that being raised in a home where there is one or more lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender parent(s) causes any type of damage--social, psychological, physical, or emotional--to children.   What damages children is not allowing them to grow up in loving families.  

Rather than discriminating against minorities, please take the best interests of children into consideration.  Instead of limiting the opportunities of Virginia’s children, please pass the proposed non-discrimination language in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Tomi Tusia,

Chesterfield County