On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the state of Michigan for working with faith-based organizations that discriminate against same-sex couples in adoption proceedings.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Dana and Kristy Dumont, who contacted two state-contracted organizations in the Lansing area to begin the adoption process, but were told by both agencies that they don’t place children with same-sex couples. A 2015 law signed by Governor Rick Snyder protects child-placement agencies—a quarter of which are faith-based—from providing services that conflict with their religious beliefs, which is why the ACLU is suing the state for providing taxpayer funds to agencies that are keeping children in the system rather than placing them in a permanent, loving same-sex home.
“These are not just private institutions operating under private funds under their own private rules. These are institutions that have been given a government contract [which uses] our public tax dollars to support this discrimination,” Stephanie White, executive director of LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality Michigan, told NBC News. “The fact that I’m being asked to fund, through my own tax dollars, my own discrimination is outrageous.”
It’s also worth noting that the medical and social science research overwhelmingly shows that the gender and sexual orientation of parents has no bearing on a child’s well-being.
