Elton John Prohibited From Adopting

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Sep 14th 2009 11:55AM

The Ukrainian orphan Elton John wants to adopt will not go home with the singer and his longtime partner David Furnish, due to a national law that prohibits unmarried couples from adopting, The AP reports.

The singer toured a hospital for HIV-infected children in Ukraine on Saturday as part of a charity project and said that he and his partner wanted to adopt a 14-month-old, HIV-infected boy named Lev. But the country's Family, Youth and Sports Minister Yuriy Pavlenko said Ukraine does not recognize homosexual unions as marriage.

Pavlenko also said John was too old. The singer is 62 and Ukrainian law requires a parent to be no more than 45 years older than an adopted child.

"Foreign citizens who are single have no right to adopt children ... and the age difference between the adopter and the child cannot be more than 45 years," Pavlenko said. "The law is the same for everybody: for a president, for a minister, for Elton John."

John and Furnish, his longtime partner, tied the knot in 2005 in one of the first legalized civil unions in the United Kingdom.

"I don't know how we do that, but he has stolen my heart. And he has stolen David's heart and it would be wonderful if we can have a home," John said.

Pavlenko said Ukraine was grateful for the singer's charity work and expressed hope that his desire to adopt Lev would spur the domestic adoption of more children with health problems, which is still rare in Ukraine.

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Elton John Visits Orphanage

Elton John visits an orphanage for HIV-positive children in the Ukrainian city of Makeyevka. More Photos >>

AFP/Getty Images

AFP

Elton John Visits Orphanage

British rock legend Sir Elton John holds little Gleb, a patient of a specialized orphanage for HIV-positive children after the first results of the "Children plus" project were presented in the Ukrainian city of Makeyevka, some 30 kms northeast of Donetsk, on September 12, 2009. AFP PHOTO/ SERGEI SUPINSKY (Photo credit should read SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Rock legend Sir Elton John kisses little Gleb, a patient of a specialized orphanage for HIV-positive children after the first results of the "Children plus" project were presented in the Ukrainian city of Makeyevka, some 30 kms northeast of Donetsk, on September 12, 2009. AFP PHOTO/ SERGEI SUPINSKY (Photo credit should read SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

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Tags: celebrity adoptions, CelebrityAdoptions, elton john, EltonJohn

Comments

(442)

Monday 14 September

By Gary Mitchell

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

"Sir" should have Her Majesty present a special request on his behalf. Elton's heart is in the right place here. Add the special needs and HIV aspect - it's a sin not grant this adoption.
You have to feeel sorry for these guys are being denied. However, I am available for adoption and I can cook. Good luck to them. Especially the kid.
I would bet that regardless, Elton is making sure this child is getting the very best of care and always will.

By slopezmiro

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

This make a lot of sense! So according to the Ukraine, it's better for an ill child no one wants to die in some God-forsaken orphanage rather than spend his life in a nurturing, privileged environment, where he will get the love and care he so desperately needs. Wow! Something's wrong with this picture.

By Diane

Let Elton and David adopt this poor unfortunate child and give him a chance at life! How stupid to keep a child in an institution when he could have the love and care that only a committed family can give him. Elton could easily live another 30 years while this poor child may not see too many more years unless he gets the medical care and attention that Elton and David are willing to give him. How many of us are willing to care for an ill child especially one with AIDS...a complicated illness to manage.

By gv

SO I GUESS WE JUST TOSS THE POOR SICK CHILD BACK INTO THE ORPHANAGE AND TELL HIM 'OH WELL'. HOW MANY PEOPLE IN HIS OWN COUNTRY WOULD ADOPT HIM WITH HIV? OH, WAIT NO ONE DID.....

By nick

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Why don't Elton John leave the kids alone, now he wants to start training a kid to be a faggot right out of the cradle, let him hook up with Oprah or Ellen.

By Desiree

You freaking moron!! I am shocked to see so much hate being spilled in your reply.

By Twyla

Vote down Vote up Report this

Nick, you are an idiot! Elton is trying to help these children, just as he has many other children as well as adults. A lot of money has been raised for aids research through the Elton John Aids Foundation. If we all had hearts like Elton and David, this world would be a better place.

I agree, the Queen needs to intervene in this situation. Elton and David would make excellent parents for this little boy and would provide him with a stable home and the best medical attention that money can buy.

Why leave the little boy to die a slow agonizing death in an orphanage. The Ukraine should be happy that someone would want to adopt one of their many sick children, regardless of their sexually orientation, age or marital status.

By Inked_Hippie

obvious troll is obvious

By mivogo

I didn't realize they had Republicans in the Ukraine.

By sonya

Love is Love no matter who gives it...whether it be a gay or straight couple..single or divorced person..children deserve love and if it were me in that orphanage i would be thrilled to have elton john adopt me..as far as i can remember ,he has never made an a** out of himself in public..has always done humanitarian work ,has been in a loving relationship for a number of years and is also financially and mentally stable enough to raise and love a child...not only would that child be loved beyond recognition,he would also have the best of everything life could offer him..and whether that child lives 2 years or 40..he would know beyond a shadow of doubt that he was loved because of the person he was..not hated and feared because of a disease he didnt have a choice in getting..

By kayhil3

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Are there no children in the UK that need a home? I am all for people choosing to adopt a child regardless of thier sexual preference, color or religon, but for Gods sake can't they adopt from there own country.There are so many children in the USA and UK that need homes and yet it seems to be in fashion to adopt from third world countries.

By Angela

It's not that it is "fashionable" to adopt from out of the country. From what I read in the story, they were doing charity work when they noticed the child. They probably weren't even looking to adopt right then, but this child tugged at their heart strings. I would think that would be a better way of choosing one's children than to "shop" for them locally out of convenience. I imagine the same thing happens frequently for other celebrities- they are out of the country and see a child in need and just want to be there for them. No matter where you go there will be various stupid adoption rules. We tried to adopt our nephew and his sister. We were approved to adopt our nephew under "family" guidelines, but did not qualify to adopt his sister under "everyone else" guidelines and our state did not allow sibling separation, so both children stayed in foster care in another state and were adopted out to strangers- we don't even know if they stayed together! The system is a strange beast.

By teresa

Are we forgetting that these children are in shelters and are waiting for someone to love them? They need someone. Does age define whether you can love a child? How many fathers are well above 60 in the industry??? Let them adopt this child! A special on television a few years ago showed gay couples raising children with a variety of problems. They were allowed to have a child that was encountering problems, but not a well child. What is up with that????? Have we gone mad???

By alicia

Its to bad for the child. Elton John and his partner have the means and knowledge to care for this little boy. SO..he'll stay in an orphanage where he will be sick and alone. Makes sense to me --NOT!! even if they want to say "he's to old and not legally married in the Ukraine's eyes...This little baby would never have a worry...Its all political and it shouldn't be

By me

I hope he has all the luck in turning this thing around. I hope he loves this kid so much that he adopts dozens of needy kids.

Isn't it better for them to be with Elton and his partner...two loving individuals... than to languish in some institution. Laws are meant to be rewritten.

OMG...breaks my heart....they actually look alike!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is meant to be!!

By Mom

Sorry, I know many many gay people, I am an artist, so this is not odd to me, but I can tell you that ALL of the Gay men I know molest children. I am sure they will stomp their feet when I say the truth. There is no way in hell that two gay men should be able to adopt. I don't care about the gay agenda, and gay temper tantrums don't scare me. The truth is the truth!!!

By Pax

If ALL the gay men you know molest children not only have you defied the odds by the impossible if you have not turned them in then you are supporting their actions and are equally guilty of committing a crime. So, Mom, what do you have to say for yourself?

By Nancy

Birds of a feather?

By Kelly

So, you know many gay people and the men are all child molesters? Where do you hang out-in a town of 2-you and a child molester? I too know many gay people, and I have only met a couple of them who have molested children (served time, both of them) and I have also known a few straight guys who have molested children (including a guy who decided to play crazy instead of going to jail). Spend time as a counselor and you meet all kinds of people who have done things-straight, gay, bi-not an excuse to say all people of one orientation, race, religion, etc are one way.

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