BREAKING NEWS

LGBT activists to protest government objection to adoption reform

JULY 17, 2017 18:18

Israeli LGBT activists plan to demonstrate on Thursday against a recent government statement in which LGBT relationships were described as "unusual" and LGBT people deemed less able to adopt children as children reared in such households might "carry further burdens" in addition to the burden of being an adopted child.

"After we were exposed to another narrow minded and low government act", the Israeli LGBT association declared in a public statement, "we choose not to remain silent."

The Israeli LGBT association and other advocacy groups in the LGBT community are now working in "high gear", the statement continues, to voice their discontent with the government statement which was submitted to the Israeli Supreme Court.

The government submitted the report In preparation for an upcoming Supreme Court debate, also to be held on Thursday, that will discuss a petition submitted by the Association of Israeli Gay Fathers, also known as "Gay Dads", and the Israel Religious Action Center.

The petition is meant to enable same-sex couples to adopt children in an entirely equal way, where both parents are full guardians of the child.

Up until now Israeli individuals in same sex relationships were able to adopt children only if no heterosexual couples were interested in these children. The adoption process recognized one person as the legal guardian of the child, and not the couple.