The decision to give Victorian religious agencies the right to refuse adoption to same-sex couples is a slap in the face to the activists.

It also perpetuates discrimination to same-sex couples.

While legislation to legalise same-sex adoption is giving in one hand, taking from the other is the introduction of religious exception to that same law.

According to Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby co-convenor Sean Mulcahy, the latest decision fails the equality test, leaving same-sex couples yet another hurdle to jump over.

The state government's same-sex adoption bill passed the upper house 31 to 8 on Thursday night, with last-minute amendments allowing religious exemption.

The Liberal Party, Democratic Labor Party MP Rachel Carling-Jenkins and the Shooters and Fishers Party all voted for the exemption. The bill will now return to the lower house.

Despite worldwide moves for same-sex marriages and same-sex adoption rights, there is still a long way to go before true equality.

Equality Minister Martin Foley on Friday admitted there was still some way to go before same-sex families were granted full equality.

"What we've seen is the Liberal Party put back into the legislation a requirement that will allow organisations that deliver services for the state to discriminate against same-sex families," Mr Foley said.

The Australian Marriage Forum has decried the passage of legislation as a "policy that will hurt children".

The forum's spokesman David van Gend said the laws "deliberately deprive a child of their relationship with a mother or father".

The government has begun talks with same-sex families, relevant stakeholders and organisations to consider the next step. 

But there really is only one “next step” and that would be to give loving (same-sex) couples the opportunity to give children a stable home.

Because having a “mother” and a “father” does not always equate to having a loving and stable family environment.