Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert and his partner of 14 years, Romi, came close to becoming parents this week, but their dreams of fatherhood have been shattered.
On Monday, the couple received a call from a social worker handling their case, notifying them that a baby, who had been abandoned by its birth parents, was in need of a home, with the possibility of adoption.
“There was a baby that we could potentially foster and then adopt. Would we be willing to foster the child who had been abandoned by their family?” said Chandra Herbert. “Of course we said yes.”
Just a couple of hours later, they also received disappointing news. Everything changed once the child’s extended family found out Chandra Herbert and his partner are gay. They were considered potential candidates because of the racial make-up of their household, but ruled out as foster parents because of their sexual orientation.
“I think homophobia was the fault,” says Chandra, “we’ve got a great social worker, it’s not her fault.”
They had been on the list of potential adoptive parents for two years.
In British Columbia, same-sex marriage has been legal since 2003, and same-sex couples are legally able to adopt a child.
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