By Chris Caraveo
Twitter: @ChrisCaraveo31

Before same-sex marriage was legal throughout the U.S., couples were already building their families in the form of foster care and adoption.

In analyzing U.S. Census Bureau estimates between 2000 and 2010, the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, found the number of same-sex couples who adopted children more than tripled from 6,500 couples to 22,000.

While outside of that timetable, Phoenix couple Scott Bowerman, 47, and Wesley Fuller, 33, adopted a pair of siblings in 2012.

However, the couple was originally told by an organization that they would have a hard time adopting because many families would not choose a gay couple.

“A child needs a loving and safe environment,” Mr. Bowerman said. “So if one person, or two people of the same sex can provide that, I don’t see what the issue is.”

However, negative stigmas still surround the LGBTQ+ community that hinder their chances of adopting and providing a loving home to a child that needs it.

That has included some organizations that deal with foster and/or adoption services. Some may be religious-based and may have issues with dealing with homosexual couples.

In May, the Trump Administration announced plans to begin implementing a new policy which would allow adoption agencies to deny LGBTQ couples the ability to adopt based on religious exemptions.

That followed the administration granting South Carolina a waiver to allow faith-based organizations to deny LGBTQ couples the ability to adopt a child.

GLAAD — the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization — in March called on Tennessee state lawmakers to reject three anti-LGBTQ bills, one of which would protect adoption agencies from consequential action by state or local governments if it used religious exemptions to deny an LGBTQ family from adopting a child.

What started out in 2010 as a simple interest in fostering for Mr. Bowerman and Mr. Fuller led to the adoption in November 2012 of two biological siblings and a forever family. Over the span of three years, Mr. Bowerman and Mr. Fuller fought to keep Eli together with his sister Hana, and they were successful.

“Our journey was a lot of ups and downs for sure,” Mr. Bowerman told the Daily News-Sun. “Lots of court visits and uncertainties but worth the effort to help out children in need.”

The couple initially looked at surrogacy when thinking about starting a family, but a major factor for not was the cost. As they looked into other options, they ultimately decided to adopt.

“We knew there were risks involved, primarily falling in love with a child that could be reunited, but we chose to start the journey because it was apparent that there was such a need,” Mr. Bowerman said. “At the time there were over 12,000 kids in the system.”

As of January, that number is around 14,500, according to the Arizona Department of Child Safety.

Adopting didn’t come easily for the couple, though. Back in 2012, the state of Arizona did not recognize gay marriage. In turn, only one of either Mr. Bowerman or Mr. Fuller could legally adopt their children.

After the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 declared states have no right to limit marriage to one man and one woman, the couple’s marriage was recognized in Arizona. That led them to having to do a step-parent adoption to adopt Eli and Hana together.

At the aid of same-sex couples, the Arizona’s Children Association is one organization wanting to change any misconceptions.

Katie Hernandez, the adoption and foster care program supervisor at the AzCA, said they believe every child deserves a family no matter who that parent is, as long as they are loving and qualified.

The association does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, leading to about one-third of the adopting parents coming through the AzCA identifying as a member of the LGBTQ community, Ms. Hernandez said.

The AzCA also works with Equality Arizona and Project Jigsaw, which refers families and couples to the association.

Back in 2015, when there were a reported 17,000 children under the state’s care, Gov. Doug Ducey called for change in adoption practices at the DCS. He instructed the DCS to ensure all legally married couples in Arizona are able to jointly serve as foster parents and adopt.

Despite his actions, Equality Arizona has said some state agencies refuse to represent same-sex adoptive couples, and same-sex couples are often considered bottom on the list of homes for potential child placement.

Also, the group says some state agencies are standing by their legal advice that the state should not allow married same-sex couples to jointly adopt or become foster parents in Arizona.

However, Ms. Hernandez believes the reception of same-sex couples in Arizona has gotten better over the last three or four years.

While Mr. Bowerman and Mr. Fuller didn’t adopt from the AzCA, they participate in events for the organization and serve on the board for the group’s annual “Dancing for Arizona’s Children,” an event that helps raise awareness for acceptance in same-sex adoptions.

“Wes was approached last year to dance for their event ‘Dancing for AZ Children,’” Mr. Bowerman said. “He had never danced before but loved the cause and decided to participate... AzCA is great at promoting to the LGBTQ+ community and does not have any issues working with families of all types.”

Sometimes, the idea of “how can two women or two men raise a child without a parent of the opposite sex in their life” comes into play. The idea is seen in interactions on TV shows like as “What Would You Do?” on ABC.

In that show, two men or two women are seen with a child inside a restaurant when another person or couple inquires on who the parent is. When the answer is “We both are,” some of the people posing the question are in disbelief or disgust.

Sometimes, the same-sex couple are just actors. Other times, they are an actual couple. However, the people inquiring are all real in their reactions.

While it might be beneficial for a young boy or girl to have father and mother figures in their lives, couples like Mr. Bowerman and Mr. Fuller are well aware of that.

“We have friends and doctors who can help us out with the female changes that we might not know much about,” Mr. Bowerman said. “We surround ourselves with great people who are supportive and would recommend other families do the same. It takes a village...”

Over the last 30 years, the American Psychological Association, and other health professional and scientific organizations found there is no scientific evidence relating parenting effectiveness and parental sexual orientation, meaning lesbian and gay parents are as likely as heterosexual parents to provide supportive and healthy environments for their children.

As other same-sex couples or a single member of the LGBTQ community try to add a child to their life, Mr. Bowerman and Mr. Fuller want them to know that there are resources available to help with the process.

“The classes can be overwhelming and might make you question if you can handle the process,” they said. “Also know that you have the option to say no and you need to be honest with yourself when filling out the questionnaire. We were able to start a family from this process and have seen other friends do the same.”