Socialists reopen gay adoption debate

26 April 2004

BRUSSELS – Belgium’s French speaking socialist party has added its voice to a growing clamour for gay couples to be allowed to adopt, La Libre Belgique reported on Monday.

The Socialists (PS) have just published a proposal for a new law that would give gay couples the right to adopt children in Belgium and also, in certain circumstances, to travel abroad and adopt from other countries.

The PS proposal follows similar suggestions put forward by the Flemish Liberal Democrat Party (VLD) and the Flemish socialists (SP.A).

The call for international adoption rights is the big difference between the new socialist plan and the two earlier proposals.

The majority of adoptions these days happen across borders. The PS would like to encourage in international law the principle of allowing gay couples to adopt if the law in either their home country or the country they want to adopt from allows it.

“We are trying to align the law with social realities today,” PS parliamentarian Valerie Deom told La Libre Belgique.

“We need to end the general climate of hypocrisy and stop an unjustified discrimination. Children are already raised by homosexual couples today. If we continue to insist that only heterosexuals can adopt we are not taking account of reality,” she added.

Belgium already recognises gay marriages.

Subject: Belgian news