General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOne of our very own DU members made it into the Boston globe!
And I should add for a very good reason! To DonViejoHow same-sex couples got the right to adopt in Massachusetts
PEDRO HERPIN AND RAMON HERNANDEZ estimate they have had close to 20 foster children in their home over the years. They adopted one of those foster children and have two more children, Herpins from a relationship when he was a teenager, and have also adopted a grandson. Theirs is a family constellation that is not possible in every state because of laws restricting adoptions by same-sex couples, and one that could not have existed in Massachusetts 30 years ago.
The family moved to Puerto Rico in 2007 to live near Herpins parents but came back five years later. The schools werent great, their marriage wasnt recognized, and their status as a gay couple meant being foster parents was out of the question. Its a no-no in their eyes over there, Herpin says. So they returned and settled in Avon. They most recently fostered a transgender teenager, whom they found through the Home for Little Wanderers in Boston, a child welfare agency that provides residential, community-based, and adoption services. We heard about him and thought it was a good match for us, Herpin says.
The match was good??for a while, though the teen recently left for a group home placement. So Herpin and Hernandez are back on the list of families ready for the next kids they may be able to help.
Public adoption??finding legally permanent homes for children in state custody??uses different processes than private or international adoption. In Massachusetts, same-sex couples are a significant part of the pool of parents the state draws upon to provide love, guidance, and homes for thousands of children whose families cannot care for them. The state does not track the sexual orientation of foster or adoptive parents, but people who work in the adoption world say that same-sex couples are absolutely part of the mainstream. I would say there is a pretty universal acceptance of gay and lesbian couples in the adoption community as viable resources to parent our children, says Lisa Funaro, executive director of Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), a Boston nonprofit that works to find adoptive families for kids in foster care.
Posted with DonViejo permission.
WTG Don!
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2015/06/17/how-same-sex-couples-got-right-adopt-massachusetts/ulOm76fNVLApennqpzrVsI/story.html
ETA: so there is no confusion this picture was taken in 1985. But in my mind he's still a hottie! (that's what a heart of gold will do to you).
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts)Thanks for sharing their story.
William769
(55,147 posts)Don is such a sweetheart and this is just the icing on the cake.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,620 posts)And thank you to our own DonViejo for permission to post that gorgeous picture!
Seeing these little children getting the loving and nurturing that they must have to become loving, nurturing adults we so desperately need makes my heart very happy...
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Thanks for sharing.
Wilms
(26,795 posts)Awesome Father's Day to you guys!
panader0
(25,816 posts)20 foster kids! That is dedication. Good for you DV.
Recommended.
William769
(55,147 posts)No pun intended.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)This is change we can believe in.
Thank you, DonViego!
Spazito
(50,338 posts)Pedro and Ramon are truly role models to be admired and applauded.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)Love this!
shenmue
(38,506 posts)Is someone chopping onions?
William769
(55,147 posts)greatauntoftriplets
(175,735 posts)William769
(55,147 posts)greatauntoftriplets
(175,735 posts)FailureToCommunicate
(14,014 posts)lovemydog
(11,833 posts)MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)Congrats dads and happy father's day!
brer cat
(24,565 posts)Father's Day story!! Don, you rock!
Thanks for posting, William.
jen63
(813 posts)Happy Father's Day!
City Lights
(25,171 posts)Happy Father's Day!
cal04
(41,505 posts)What a beautiful and terrific story DonViejo
William769
(55,147 posts)Don is such a great guy.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Looks like they have done a lot of good for a lot of kids !
William769
(55,147 posts)And hopefully this week there will be more to celebrate to add to this joyous occasion.
mcar
(42,331 posts)To two amazing dads!
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)Thank you for letting us know about this...it's just great.
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Happy Father's Day, you two!
SidDithers
(44,228 posts)One of DU's finest.
Sid
Solly Mack
(90,767 posts)Happy Father's Day!
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)That shows how far we've come since Saint Ronnie of the Sacred Bonzo.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)Seems noble to me.
Liberal Jesus Freak
(1,451 posts)To a wonderful couple with huge hearts
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)And bless you for having such giant hearts!!!
calimary
(81,267 posts)Makes me proud!!!
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)Iliyah
(25,111 posts)K & R
GoneFishin
(5,217 posts)Aerows
(39,961 posts)We have some damn fine people on DU.
Happy Father's day to Don .
mountain grammy
(26,621 posts)Happy Father's Day to everyone. Best Father's Day story ever!
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Don is one of DU's best and always has been.
Happy Father's Day!
DirkGently
(12,151 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)sheshe2
(83,770 posts)To Don and Dave. Both have so much love in their hearts that it spilled over to all the children.
Here is to the other same sex couples that open their hearts and homes to the children. Such a beautiful story it makes me want to cry with joy.
Thank you for posting, William.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Don and Dave represent our better angels, and do so splendidly.
sheshe2
(83,770 posts)Beautifully stated, hifiguy.
Cha
(297,237 posts)friend and his family.. and the history of the how adoption for Gay Families came to be in Massachusetts!
WillyT
(72,631 posts)& Rec !!!
Skittles
(153,160 posts)the kids are pretty cute too
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Love this. Happy Fathers Day DonViejo!
ismnotwasm
(41,980 posts)Awesome!
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)to children who desperately need one simply because of evil, unjustifiable bigotry I'll never understand. Hundreds of thousands of children languish in unloved, unwanted circumstances and there just aren't enough families willing/able/prepared to take in these children. What a nice story. Thank you for posting.
raouldukelives
(5,178 posts)HPXYZ
(11 posts)lamp_shade
(14,834 posts)Rhiannon12866
(205,365 posts)We really need a feel good story like this right now and kudos to our own DonViejo!!!
me b zola
(19,053 posts)Every person should enjoy equal rights.
blm
(113,061 posts)Happiest of Father's Days to you all.
wezl
(44 posts)alfredo
(60,071 posts)I have a friend that has had over 50 foster children. He is now collecting luggage donations, then distributing them to Foster Children. He's a good lefty too.
Kali
(55,008 posts)so glad this got kicked right as I logged on, messed it yesterday.