Is Same Sex Parenting Wrong?

[naomi24]

There has been a suggestion that same sex parents should be featured in school books, a proposal which has produced conflicting opinions – see AOG’s thread in News, “Should Same-Sex Parents Be Featured In School Books?” Consider this scenario. Two very young children, a boy and a girl, born to a drug addicted wreck of a mother and a drunken, serial criminal father, are thoroughly neglected, and subjected to daily mental and physical abuse. The authorities, quite rightly, remove them from the family home, and the children are subsequently adopted by two gay men - highly successful, wealthy, fine house in the country, apartment in the city – who provide their every need and, most importantly, love them dearly.

I know those children – and they are happy – but of those who say that same sex parenting is wrong, given the opportunity, who would remove them from their new home in favour of subjecting them to a life in care?

[Sharingan]

Okay yes I agree with that. If you do that you still come up with the same answer- same sex parenting is not wrong.

[rockyracoon]

Snafu, fair point. I still don't see any problem with same sex parenting.

[jim360]

Indeed, snafu:

http://www.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/LGBT-Families-Lit-Review.pdf

This review cites a large volume of studies whose overall conclusion is that, when you level the playing field, the gender mix of parents is not important in the upbringing of a child.

Extra background on the Zack Wahls video: he "lost" the argument in that the Iowan House of Representatives backed an amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. The State senate blocked the amendment, so same-sex marriage is still legal in Iowa. The fight over same-sex marriage will continue for some time to come.

[naomi24]

Snafu03, that's a different subject altogether. In short (regardless of the social or financial standing of the new parents), the question is would objectors remove children from a safe, happy and loving environment simply because the new parents are gay - and if so, why?

[ummmm]

I live with my partner and my grown up nephew. All of us have an input into my children's life. What is the difference besides who shares a bed?

[Snafu03]

yes, sorry naomi - what you ask is a legitimate question. Definitely agree that a child would be better off in a safe environment, just becuase the parents are same-sex that shouldnt be an issue.

people tend to think that a child needs both male and female input to end up well balanced. What rubbish! I grew up with my mum and dad who stayed together. My Dad was no good a DIY, wasnt into sports and was tee-total. So I ended up being rubbish at DIY, useless at football and not having a manly pint with my Dad. All those elements of masculinity that we associate with having a male parent werent instilled in me because my Dad simply wasnt into it.

[Octavius]

Do you have a country house for weekends Ummm?

How about, the biological parents went through a wealth of counselling and rehabilitation, the man found regular low wage employment but the mum couln't find full time work and relied on state benefit supplements alongside a part time cleaning job, but they had without question turned their lives around and pleaded for their children to be rehomed. Would you do it?

[ummmm]

Mainly just for the summer months ;-)

[Old_Geezer]

The question posed is about different forms of parenting. One may consider that and yet accept within each arrangement there is likely to good and bad examples within that group.

However parents that are in an unnatural relationship can not be an ideal form for bringing up a child. For most I suspect, given the option of being brought up in a family where the parents represent both genders is preferable to one where only one gender is present.

To provide an example of a best of a non-ideal arrangement and compare it with an appalling example of an ideal form arrangement proves nothing save for a desire to push an agenda.

If the adoptive parents are doing a reasonable job one might decide it is in the child's best interest to leave them there, but that would not change the opinion that to place them there initially was not the best option. That ideally there should be enough normal relationships that could offer those in need of adoptive parents, a home and family.

[Sharingan]

There is nothing ' unnatural' about being gay oldgeezer- many people are and they all came into this world perfectly naturally and will leave the same way. One in 5 people are gay, that's 20%, many more are bisexual, being either does not make one not ' normal'.

[jackthehat]

///However parents that are in an unnatural relationship can not be an ideal form for bringing up a child. ///

In which ways to do believe that a child being brought up within such a relationship would be deficient compared to one brought up in a heterosexual relationship?

[jim360]

Why is a gay relationship "unnatural"? There is mounting evidence to suggest that such relationships are quite common in nature. Granted they are less common -- but not unnatural.

[atalanta]

Imagine the first world war. Two sisters, both widowed by war, both with children. They move in together and bring up several children togather. It can't have been uncommon. What's the difference ?
Just who sleeps in which bed.
And how can that possibly affect the parenting of the fatherless children ?

[pixie373]

I don't think this is a fair comparison either. Obviously children are better off in a stable, loving environment, than being abused. No matter what sexes the parents are

[naomi24]

It’s not intended to be a comparison – it’s factual. The people who oppose same sex parenting are, I presume, objecting on some sort of principle they hold – and therefore money shouldn’t influence their judgement.

[Octavius]

The objectors in the original thread were just confused into thinking that schools were teaching 5 year olds about gay sex.

Maybe they have a different view when it comes to wealthy homosexuals with a fine country house.

[naomi24]

//The objectors in the original thread were just confused into thinking that schools were teaching 5 year olds about gay sex. //


All of them? You need to read the thread again.

//Maybe they have a different view when it comes to wealthy homosexuals with a fine country house. //

Maybe.

[LazyGun]

Am I imagining things, or has another thread been removed? Wasn't there a thread about it being biologically impossible or unnatural to have homosexual parents or something?

[jackthehat]

That was courtesy of a banned-user..........who was banned again, taking his questions with him.

[LazyGun]

Ahh that would explain it then. Thanks for the clarification, JtH :)