West Palm Beach votes in support of allowing gay adoption

By Andrew Abramson, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

March 23, 2010

WEST PALM BEACH - The city commission took a stance against the state's ban on gay adoption, voting unanimously today to support a repeal of the ban.

Florida is the only state in the country that doesn't allow gay adoption and state representative Mary Brandenburg has already co-sponsored a bill in the Florida legislature that would repeal the ban.

Lake Worth and Wilton Manors previously passed similar resolutions supporting the repeal.

"It seems to me absolutely unbelievable that 49 states in this country have seen fit to pass laws that allow same-sex adoption, and Florida is back in the dark ages on this," Mayor Lois Frankel said. "The issue should be what's in the best interest of the child."

In Florida, gay couples can be foster parents, but can't adopt.

The Rev. Mark Boykin of the Church of All Nations of Boca Raton led a protest of four members outside City Hall, and then blasted the West Palm Beach resolution.

"There are so many issues and problems in the City of West Palm Beach," Boykin said. "The mayor and city commissioners need to be focused on solving these issues and not undermining the fabric of a nuclear family."

Rand Hoch, who represented the county's human rights council, said "there are many more children eligible for adoption then there are married heterosexual families wiling to adopt them. The ban is immoral because it harms children."

"This will give 3,000 children a much greater chance at loving, nurturing, caring home," said Commissioner Jeri Muoio, who brought forward the resolution.