Jul 6th, 2006
Homophobia Harmful, Not Gay Parents
Yesterday’s Mercury News ran a piece about the impact of anti-gay rhetoric on children. It begins with fairly standard quotes (”no difference”) from Charlotte Patterson and Judith Stacey, but doesn’t stop at the tired question of whether kids with same-sex parents “turn out okay.”
Hostile debate on same-sex marriage harmful to children
By Susan Reimer
“What is clearer,” said Patterson, “is that some of the big problems that people in this community face come from outside their families. Bias in the community or from school or from institutions. And these are really important.”
It appears that the children of gay and lesbian couples are not the only children who are profoundly affected by the tenor of this discussion.
Stephen Russell, professor of family studies and human development at the University of Arizona, finds that the negative tone of this national conversation is making children of all descriptions “feel less safe.”
[...] Finally, a related bit of commentary. Abigail Garner notes that Wednesday’s Mercury News makes an important point about the same-sex marriage debate: the debate itself is harmful to kids. Not only is it bad for children of LGBT parents “to overhear a negative national conversation that says their parents are undermining the moral fabric of this country,” but kids of all backgrounds may feel less safe, given the hostile tone of the rhetoric. This is a seldom- discussed facet of the marriage debate, but a crucial one. Thanks to Abigail for pointing it out. by D | posted in Politics and Law [...]