Here are some tips about getting your message across positively and powerfully.

Keep the paragraph positive, short and sharp. Personal stories and speaking from your own experience is also a very powerful way to get your message across. There is no need to write “Dear ....” or sign off at the end of your paragraph - the form automatically does this for you!

Remember:

• No-one has the “right to adopt” a child. But same-sex couples should at least be eligible to apply and be considered on their individual merits like other couples and individuals. Same-sex couples should have the opportunity to be assessed like everyone else – not automatically excluded because they are in a same-sex relationship.

• Same-sex adoption would ensure kids who are already in same-sex families, such as foster families, could have both of their parents legally recognised both in childhood and adulthood. This would ensure the children have the same entitlements and protections as other children in areas such as inheritance, workers’ compensation, superannuation and child support if one of their parents died or their parents separated.

• Same-sex couples can currently foster children and many do! It makes no sense to assume that same-sex couples may make good parents for some children, but not others.

• All the credible research shows that children raised by lesbians and gay men do not suffer any adverse welfare or psycho-social outcomes to children raised by heterosexual parents.

• Birth parents considering giving their child up for adoption should have the widest range of possible parents from which to choose the best family and home for their child.

• Discrimination in the law sends the wrong message about gay and lesbian people and their perceived risk to children. This devalues the thousands of lesbians and gay men who already parent, or provide important contributions to the welfare of children as teachers, carers etc. 

For parents and potential parents:

• If you already are a parent, you may want to talk about who you and your kids are. Talk about your experiences to personalise and describe the reality of family life for same-sex families. If you are a same-sex parent who is not currently legally recognised as such, you may want to emphasise why recognition of your relationship with your child is important to your child, and to you – for example, the ability to make medical and school decisions on behalf of your child; protection and stability for your child in inheritance, custody etc. should you or your partner die etc.

• If you would like to be considered as an adoptive parent, you may want to emphasise who you are, why you’d make a good parent and why you think it’s wrong to automatically exclude same-sex couples without assessing whether they would in fact make good parents. Remember, no-one has the right to adopt – but people should be assessed according to objective criteria, not automatically excluded because they are in a same-sex relationship.