Introduction
Today, out of 594,000 same-sex couples in the United States, over 110,000 have children. Countries like Australia have passed bills that allow gay and lesbian couples to adopt children ( Mertus, 2011) . Other nations are reluctantly following suit by first legalizing same-sex marriages. Also, various children rights institutions have shown their interest in supporting equal rights of adopting children for both same-sex and heterosexual couples ( Becker, 2012) . Utilitarianism advocates for the promotion of the most excellent balance of benefit over disadvantages for the greatest number of people. For example, The American Academy of Pediatrics has shown their support for same-sex marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples since 2003. It argues that children thrive well when supported and taken care of by a stable family. And such a family can only be achieved through marriage. I agree with the argument that same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt children as straightforwardly as heterosexual couples for the benefit of orphaned and abandoned children.
Reasons why Same-Sex Couples should be allowed to Adopt Children
Gays and lesbians are rational human beings and therefore allowing them to adopt children like any heterosexual couples will be an act of respecting human rights. Being gay or lesbian is not a mental disorder. On the contrary, they are fully functioning people in the society, who can be responsible and loving parents even better than heterosexuals ( Becker, 2012) . So long as a person is a law-abiding citizen, has no criminal record, or tendencies of becoming violent at some point in life then he or she is capable of taking care of a child. Useful characteristics of parents include being trustworthy, responsible, loving, and capable of taking care of a child. These are qualities that both same-sex couples and heterosexuals possess ( Patterson & Farr, 2015) . Utilitarians hold a view that what is useful is good. Consequently, the ethical value of conduct is determined by the usefulness of its results. The society should start seeing gay people as competent members just like straight people in being good parents to decrease the blatant homophobia against the homosexual lifestyle.
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Gender of parents should not be a determinant when deciding on which couple to adopt a child. What children need is a loving environment where they can grow and get all their basic needs in life. Parenting is not limited to both biological father and mother because almost a third of children in the United States are not raised in two-parent households ( Takács, Szalma & Bartus, 2016) . It is not unusual to get a child doing well in life and was either brought up by his or her mother or father alone. There are living proofs that support the claim that the sex of parents does not affect the child's well-being. Some boys have been brought up by their mother and still have the masculine nature to help them live well in the society. Similarly, most girls brought up by their fathers still end up with a feminine influence necessary for them to be respected women in the community ( Regnerus, 2012) . Just the way single parents have successfully raised children, they can still be brought up by two fathers or two mothers without influence on their sexuality. What is of great importance to the children is happiness and not the sex of their parents. What is of great significance in life is that which prevents pain.
The number of orphaned and abandoned children in the world today has grown up to the extent that children's homes and adoption by heterosexual couples cannot support them alone. Therefore, it is unreasonable to let children suffer on the streets without basic needs or remain homeless and without families, when a particular gay or lesbian couple is willing to provide them with a stable home and meet all their primary and secondary needs ( Takács, Szalma & Bartus, 2016) . Regarding cost-benefit analysis, adoption of children by same-sex couples will reduce the burden of caring for homeless children that are currently shouldered by the government. Also, recent studies indicate that a third of lesbian households and a fifth of gay households have children under the age of 18 years who are well disciplined, have good self-esteem, and do not experience psychological difficulties while playing with other children who are being brought up by their biological parents ( Regnerus, 2012) .
However, some people argue that by allowing adoption of children by same-sex couples is infringing on the rights of a child to have a father and a mother. They say that it is better for a child to grow while knowing he or she does not have a parent other than being taught confusing and inconsistent roles by two fathers or two mothers. It is because, the physical, biological, and emotional makeup of males and females are different ( Mertus, 2011) . Also, the stigma that lesbian and gay couples face from the society may make the child feel sorry for their parents. As a result, it may cause mental issues to a child as he or she grows. However, it is evident that allowing same-sex couples to adopt children is beneficial to the majority and the pros outweigh the cons.
References
Becker, A. B. (2012). What's marriage (and family) have to do with it? Support for same‐sex marriage, legal unions, and gay and lesbian couples raising children. Social Science Quarterly , 93 (4), 1007-1029.
Mertus, J. B. (2011). Barriers, hurdles, and discrimination: The current status of LGBT intercountry adoption and why changes must be made to effectuate the best interests of the child. Cap. UL Rev. , 39, 271.
Patterson, C. J., & Farr, R. H. (2015). Children of lesbian and gay parents: Reflections on the research–policy interface. The Wiley Handbook of Developmental Psychology in Practice: Implementation and Impact , 121.
Regnerus, M. (2012). How different are the adult children of parents who have same-sex relationships? Findings from the New Family Structures Study. Social science research , 41 (4), 752-770.
Takács, J., Szalma, I., & Bartus, T. (2016). Social attitudes toward adoption by same-sex couples in Europe. Archives of sexual behavior , 45 (7), 1787-1798.
