- Homoparental adoption is advancing around the world, although there are still very few nations that allow it.
- In Mexico it is allowed but only in some states and not at the federal level.
- There are two types: joint adoption and adoption by a second parent.
Gradually the world has made significant progress in various areas. Among the most notorious is the possibility of Adoption between Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) couples. Although the problem is that so far there are very few countries that completely allow this action. While in others it is regulated but with many limitations.
In that sense, the homoparental adoption It is understood as the possibility that two people of the same sex may have the legal power to form and educate a child as their own.
Adoption by same-sex couples is legal in 31 countries, and adoption of the spouse’s child is also allowed in Slovenia, Estonia, San Marino, Taiwan and Liechtenstein. It is usually debated to allow it to coincide with the approval of marriage between people of the same sex, by establishing equal rights and granting the same guarantees as a heterosexual couple.
For its part, in many countries it is still illegal for members of the LGBT community to adopt children. The following map uses data from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World) to show where joint adoption and second-parent adoption are allowed, along with countries where there are no laws allowing same-sex couples to adopt.
Types of adoption between LGBT couples that exist
One important thing to note is that a joint adoption is when a couple adopts a child who was not previously the legal child of either of them. Whereas a second parent adoption is when a couple, who is not biologically related to the child, adopts their partner’s biological or adopted child.
As shown in the graph prepared with information from Statistical, a liberal stance on gay rights can be seen in Western Europe and North America, where at least some form of adoption is allowed. While most countries in the region allow both types of adoption, in Estonia, San Marino, Slovenia and Switzerland, only second-parent adoption is allowed.
For its part, in Latin America a more mixed picture is shown with Costa Rica, Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia with the most progressive laws on the continent. While Mexico is at a midpoint. Currently, adoption between couples from the LGBT community is only allowed in some entities but not throughout the country.
For its part, Africa is one of the most retrograde continents in this area. Until now, this adoption is only allowed in South Africa, while in the rest of the region there are no legal regulations.