Damien and Charlotte Hall have been denied adoption because of his obesity
I’ve got something to share with you today that just absolutely makes my blood boil because it’s wrong on so many levels. According to this Yahoo News story, an infertile British couple has been denied the joy of adopting a baby into their family until the husband loses weight. That’s right, they’ve told him that he’s TOO FAT to be a worthy dad to a needy child! Sick, sick, sick!
Damien and Charlotte Hall got the news after they approached the Leeds City Council in West Yorkshire, England about adopting a baby following their discovery that they can’t have any biological children of their own. But at the age of 37, the 6′1″ Damien weighs in at 343 pounds which makes him morbidly obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 45.2. The local authorities have insisted he lose more than 41 pounds to reduce his BMI to below 40 before they’d approve of Damien and Charlotte to become parents.
In a letter from the Leeds City Council, the Halls were told in no uncertain terms that their medical advisers were quite concerned over Damien’s obesity because of the potential “health risks” involved.
“The Adoption Panel are unlikely to approve applicants with a BMI over 40 because of the long term health risks,” the letter stated. “It would therefore be to your advantage to begin the assessment with an up to date medical where your BMI is clearly recorded as being under 40 and to demonstrate that you are able to maintain this weight loss over the period of the assessment.”
TRANSLATION: You better start losing some weight, ya big fattie!
Okay, timeout for moment so I can get this off my chest. This story really hits home for me because Christine and I have been struggling with infertility and what to do about starting a family ever since our failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle in December 2007. We are looking into the possibility of adoption, although we’ve heard some rather gut-wrenching horror stories of people going through that emotional experience that we’re taking the process slowly right now. Hearing about The Halls and what they are going through just made me ache for them that much more.
What right does a local City Council have to tell a well-suited couple they CAN’T adopt a needy child who needs a loving home? Sure, they can’t have a baby of their own, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make good parents. What about all those morbidly obese men who ARE fertile and making babies left and right? Is the government swooping and telling them they can’t procreate and have children because of the “health risks” associated with their obesity? Of course not because that would be illegal. How is this example with the Halls any different?
And why is BMI the litmus test for what is considered a “healthy” weight? BMI is bunk! As it stands today, my BMI is 30 which puts me right on the borderline of being considered an obese man according to those standards. But does that make my health too poor for me to be a good father? I think not. Let’s look at the facts: my HDL is fantastic at 65, my triglycerides are also superb at 86, my LDL particle size is comprised of 98% of the large, fluffy, protective kind, and I’m more active and energetic today at 37 years old than I’ve ever been in my entire life. My health is HARDLY an issue.
Nobody who knows me would even question my adequacy to take care of a child and be around for many years to come to watch him or her grow up. However, what if some government body in America declared that nobody with a BMI higher than 25 would be allowed to adopt a child? Would there be outrage and disgust? YOU BET THERE WOULD and I’d be on the front line leading the charge against it, too! While I’m not arguing that Damien Hall shouldn’t try to lose some weight for the sake of his own health and ability to be there for the child he adopts (because he could stand to lose over 100 pounds and likely do it quite easily on a low-carb lifestyle plan), the bottom line is his weight does not make him an unfit parent.
In an interview with BBC radio, Damien admits “I’m too fat,” but says the pressure of trying to shed the pounds before he’d be allowed to adopt is too much for him to handle right now.
“I’m not a couch potato and I don’t sit eating takeaways every night,” he said. “I just feel as though we were only judged on my weight and not all the other good things about us. We don’t drink or smoke and we could give a child a happy and safe home.”
Damien’s wife Charlotte said being denied a child because of something this frivolous was a “gutting” experience.
“To be turned down flatly just on that, it’s just harsh,” Charlotte admitted. “We’re here ready to take a child on. They seem to be saying it’s better for them to be in care and being shoved from pillar to post just in case Damien dies.”
You can understand the disappointment the Halls are going through and the Leeds City Council felt compelled to respond to their decision to deny their adoption.
“The council’s adoption service has a legal responsibility to ensure that children are placed with adopters who are able to provide the best possible lifelong care,” they said in a statement. “Part of this responsibility is advice for applicants on a range of suitability criteria, including any health and lifestyle issues which may impact on an applicant’s long term ability to adopt.”
Okay, so using this standard set forth by the local authorities, are smokers forbidden to adopt because of their “health and lifestyle issues?” What about potential parents who work in a dangerous profession like construction, law enforcement, or as a firefighter? Would this threaten the ability to “provide the best possible lifelong care?” The list goes on an on beyond obesity, but it seems weight is the only one being scrutinized under this policy and none of the others. If you ask me, this proves fat discrimination lives on in 2009!
Tens of thousands of children in the UK and hundreds of thousands more worldwide need families to adopt them so they’ll have a chance at getting a normal childhood so they can grow up to be productive adults and members of society. The Halls have been happily married for over a decade and neither one of them smokes. They’d be PERFECT parents, but will now have to wait to experience the unique joy that comes from that–unless the Leeds City Council changes their mind about their asinine policy!
Let the Leeds City Council know what YOU think about their decision to deny the Halls access to a baby just because of their concerns over his obesity. Write your complaint and then e-mail it to complaints@leeds.gov.uk. I think they need to know what the court of public opinion thinks about their edict against the Halls.
What do you think about this decision to deny a couple the chance to adopt a baby because one of the potential parents is obese? Is it fair to a couple like Damien and Charlotte Hall to be held to a higher standard than a fortunate obese couple that happens to be able to conceive naturally? I’d love to know what you think, so leave your comments below! This should be quite a fire starter for feedback.
Absolutely repulsive and yet another example of why the Scots have never gotten along with the English. This just gives me another reason not to like them.
The British government is going nuts about obesity in the UK even though the government is responsible for the obesity by vigorously promoting low fat, high carb diets. They recently outlawed egg advertising as part of this campaign.
They are debating whether to take obese children away from their parents and place them in foster homes. So this story does not surprise me. I am fearful that the Obama administration will go down the same route as the British government.
I blogged about how Connor McCreaddie was threaten to be taken away from his parents. Strange happenings in the UK right now.
–Jimmy
This is a prime example of government gone astray. They can’t solve real problems, so they focus on meddling in the affairs of others. As you noted, one of the problems is what comes next – rejecting applications because of smoking, drinking, reckless driving or SAT scores?
Being well prepared for parenthood hasn’t been a concern of any government that I know of to stop tens of millions around the globe from having multiple children despite parents that are sick, poor, unemployed, uneducated and irresponsible. As long as you can do it the natural way, I guess it’s okay.
A law (or rule) that isn’t good for all of us, isn’t good for any of us.
This is the prime reason for “limited government” – once the government camel gets its nose under the tent, there is no end to the silly things they can think of to implement. And, in the meantime, others suffer because the original purpose of the process gets obscured.
Clair
No argument from me, Clair. The BEST government is the one you don’t even realize is there.
–Jimmy
Jimmy, how about a story about discrimination in favour of an obese British man?
Peter Owens, who weighs 40 stone (560lb / 254kg), was found guilty of attacking two men with a baseball bat. He will serve just 15 months in jail after a judge showed mercy and ruled he was too fat and unhealthy to serve the full four years maximum. He will likely be free in seven months.
The lesson is: to adopt, lose weight; to get out of jail, gain weight. Good that’s cleared up!
P.S. I am originally from England but left those shores before it become completely barmy.
That’s wild!
–Jimmy
So very sad. It’s bad enough to struggle with infertility then to be told you’re unfit to be a parent because you are fat. Crazy! With the US population around 60 percent obese (at least that was the stat my husband threw at me one day when he was reading the paper recently) does that mean these kids are living with unfit parents?
So, so sad. I feel so bad for them.
Good luck on your journey – P.S. I know many who have adopted and there are good stories too. Want one? Email me and I’ll see if they’re willing to share their story.
God bless you, Jimmy, for helping to shed light on this injustice
Jimmy,
I agree with you and the others-it doesn’t make any sense. Look at Obama-he smokes-would their family be ineligible to adopt a child? There are plenty of truly awful parents who don’t smoke, drink, and are thin and fit. Plus, this man may have a more harmless body type and live to be 95 even though he’s obese. It happens!
This is outrageous. Being obese has nothing to do with being a good parent. Should obese people be sterilized or have their babies taken after birth? As for their logic of being around for the long term, any of us could die at any time for any reason. You probably have a greater chance of dying in a car accident than dying from obesity. Therefore, no one should be allowed to adopt.
England has socialized medicine and therefore the government thinks it has to crack down on obesity to save money. Its efforts are counterproductive. This is just a nanny state out of control.
Jimmy,
I feel your pain, all of us do! I am sure this story hit you like a ton of bricks. My husband and I adopted two children internationally (oh and at the time hubby indeed did have the No.1 most dangerous job, Pilot for the Navy, taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier…much higher risk then a high BMI in my opinion) and indeed I agree that there are too many kids without loving families, trust me I have seen some really sad orphanages in this world and just the thought of children living in them breaks my heart.
Not all countries are bias against the “fat” people. China is, you must be a certain BMI to adopt, they actually have a lot of requirements but this is there way of limiting adoptions, I have no idea why they would do this concidering how many little baby girls are in need of a family. THere are lots of other countries that do not descriminate however.
I don’t care how skinny or fat anyone is, if they have love to offer a child who has nobody to love them…well. DUH!
Blessings to you and Christine!
Shellie
As a bureaucrat who makes qualitative and quantitative decisions for the welfare of both minors and incapacitated adults daily, I have to say this is valid. I can’t say it’s exactly fair, but you have to make the best decision you can for the child to be awarded to a couple.
This man is clearly obese, and at his age, many of the accompanying lifestyle diseases are likely right around the corner.
You mentioned quite a few other criteria. How do you know those aren’t factors as well. There are myriad criteria involved in these kinds of decisions.
It’s not like this gentleman is bed-bound. I think the City Council is being far too harsh.
This is so sad! Our church hosts a frozen embryo adoption program. You can learn more here:
http://www.cedarpark.org/snowflakebaby/page_parts/about_us.php
God bless!
THANKS Susan! We’re familiar with the Snowflakes program.
–Jimmy
Jimmy – such a sad and frustrating story. This couple looks so nice. Wish there was a way we could send them a personal message of support.
I’m trying to find their contact info, but have been unsuccessful so far, Annie.
–Jimmy
I agree with Annie what a shame. but the positive thing is they are doing something about it. not sure what though?
I am a fat person and I have raised two healthy, happy, successful, normal weight children to the ages of 23 and 25 so far. My mother was fat too and she raised 6 of us all various weights. My kids know that I love them and I know my mother loved me. Fat has nothing to do with it. I agree that this is a really idiotic premise for not letting someone adopt. Really, there are some real freaks out there with “normal” BMIs. I work in the medical profession and see many people who are thin but have sky high blood pressure and diabetes. Disease does not necessarily care if you are thin or fat.