Home > Spotlight Analysis > Fortnight of Facts: Religious Liberty and Adoption by Same-Sex Couples
Fortnight of Facts: Religious Liberty and Adoption by Same-Sex Couples
Robert P. Jones, Ph.D.,
07.02.2012
Topics: LGBTQ Religion & Culture
Tags: 2012 Election Catholics Clergy & Churches LGBT Issues Religious Liberty

Although much of the debate over religious liberty has focused on the contraception mandate, there has also been a significant amount of disagreement about whether religiously affiliated adoption agencies can refuse to place children with qualified gay and lesbian couples.

More than 6-in-10 (63%) Americans say that religiously affiliated agencies that receive federal funding should not be able to refuse to place children with qualified gay and lesbian couples. Roughly one-third of Americans say agencies that receive taxpayer money should be able to refuse. Americans are divided over whether religiously affiliated agencies that receive no federal funding should also be able to refuse placing children with qualified gay and lesbian couples. Half say they should not be able to refuse, and 44% say they should.

Interestingly, while the general public makes a clear distinction between religiously affiliated adoption agencies that receive federal funding and those that do not, Catholics do not appear to make a distinction. Majorities of Catholics believe that religiously-affiliated social service agencies, regardless of their funding, should not be able to refuse to place children with qualified gay and lesbian couples.

More than 6-in-10 (63 percent) Catholics overall say that religiously affiliated agencies that receive federal funding should not be able to refuse to place children with qualified gay and lesbian couples, compared to 30 percent who say they should be able to refuse. Nearly as many Catholics (57 percent) also say that religiously affiliated agencies that receive NO federal funding should not be able to refuse to play children with gay and lesbian couples, while 38 percent say they should be able to refuse.

Among white evangelical Protestants nearly half (47%) say that religiously affiliated adoption agencies that receive federal funding should be able to refuse to place children with qualified gay or lesbian couples, while a majority (56%) say that agencies that do not receive federal funds should have the option to refuse.