Every child should have a safe, loving, and caring home.  Equality Texas advocates for our children, regardless of their parent's sexual orientation or gender identity. 

The goal of Our Stories: Family is to make LGBT-parented families visible and active, by sharing stories of real people, real lives, real families, and real love.  The project seeks to dispel misinformation being spread about LGBT-parented families, including their health and well-being, and access to equal rights under the law.

Overview:

Texas has no official ban on adoption or foster parenting by lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender couples or individuals.  However, for the past four legislative sessions, attempts have been made to institute a ban.  Your story can help shape public policy in Texas.

Issues:

• Equality Texas successfully defeated anti-family bills in 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005 that would have denied LGBT individuals and couples the ability to adopt and foster children in Texas.
• Though state adoption currently discourages discrimination based on sexual orientation, many judges blatantly discriminate, openly showing hostility toward LGBT parents.
• The Texas court system is discriminatory to LGBT parents in custody and visitation disputes.

Equality Texas Position: 

• A child's best interests are served when provided a safe, stable and loving home, including those homes with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender parents. 
• Child welfare professionals should make adoption decisions, not politicians.

Equality Texas Action:

• Oppose any effort to prohibit LGBT Texans from serving as foster or adoptive parents.
• Advocate for protection of LGBT parents and their ability to raise children in a loving and caring home.

Calling You to Action:

• If you are an LGBT parent, share your story.  Your story puts a real face on loving and caring parents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.  Your story is a powerful tool to let other families know they are not alone.  Your story and the reality of your life should be shared with legislators, faith communities, civic organizations and school communities.
• If you are the post-adolescent child of an LGBT parent, share your story.  Your story puts a real face on what it's like to grow up with an LGBT parent.  Your story and the reality of your life should be shared with legislators, faith communities, civic organizations and school communities.
• Share your story of real people, real lives, real families, and real love.
• You may type freely in the text box, or cut and paste from an MS Word document.  Maximum of 3,300 characters.

Read Equality Texas Policy Statement