All families deserve equal bonding time

To the editor:

I agree with the Feb. 25 article 'Asking for equal time” on the importance of the House and Senate passing legislation to equalize the maternity leave times for adoptive parents.

I also would like to add in support of this legislation how important these laws could be at helping our foster youth find permanent homes. Giving adoptive parents more paid time off to help them and their children adjust to their new families could be a great incentive to encourage more people to consider adopting foster youth.

The bonding between a parent and a child is arguably more important for non-biological families and for children who have experienced significant disruptions in their lives since they lack the parental bonding that happens during a pregnancy.

As the 'traditional family” model is changing, our laws need to reflect these changes to protect those families who do not fit the typical mold. All families, no matter how they are formed, should have equal rights and protections to develop strong bonds and relationships. Favoring only women who give birth as a person who is in need of time to bond with her child discredits those families who need to conceive with certain types of reproduction assistance or families where the parents are the same gender.

I hope that Iowa lawmakers make the right choice in supporting all families in Iowa by supporting these two bills.

Victoria Felt

Iowa City