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Dear Supporter,
It’s Wednesday and time for our next lesson. Despite claims to the contrary during 2004’s anti-marriage campaign, the amendment defining marriage is being used to fuel opposition to progress on a host of issues important to LGBT Kentuckians. Most recently, a decision by the Kentucky Court of Appeals invoked the anti-marriage amendment to support its decision challenging and effectively ending second-parent adoption [a legal procedure that “allows a same-sex parent to adopt his or her partner’s biological or adoptive child without ending the first parent’s legal status” (NCLR)]. Here’s the thing about parenting and marriage- they can, and do, exist independently of each other. In order to make progress with the “moveable middle” on adoption and parenting we need to try to calm the marriage hysteria that the anti-gay establishment has unleashed and talk about the facts. There is absolutely no evidence to support claims by anti-gay interests that children do better when raised in a household "with both a mother and a father." Sound familiar? That’s because it’s a line that’s repeated over and over again and we all know that if we hear something enough, it starts sounding like fact. The truth is, the studies that the anti-gay establishment regularly cite really only compare one heterosexual vs. two-parent heterosexual households. The fact is that children tend to be happier and better-adjusted in a two-parent environment regardless of the sexual orientation of the parents. The very studies they cite are really a case FOR support of parenting and adoption rights for our community. Twisting facts to suit an agenda often works, especially with issues relating to children. The emotional component compels the misguided to demand widespread action, when absent the smokescreen most would agree that decisions on what’s best for each child be determined on a case-by-case basis. Sweeping laws that ban adoptions hurt children and take power away from the social service professionals trained to help make decisions on the well-being of our most vulnerable citizens. Eventually, the facts and logic supporting parenting and adoption by all committed couples will prevail. Nearly every credible authority on child social services including: the American Academy of Pediatrics (2002), the American Bar Association (2003), the Child Welfare League of America (2005), and the National Association of Social Workers (2002) agree that a parent’s sexual orientation has no bearing on their ability to be a good parent. In the meantime, the way to make a difference in the adoption and parenting debate is, as always, to talk about your families. HOMEWORK: In talking about adoption by gays and lesbians, respectfully reject false assertions that children “do best with a mother and a father”. Discuss how adoption bans harm children and tie the hands of social service professionals to act in the best interests of each individual child. Most importantly, talk to your friends, neighbors and fellow parents about parenting. Show them that you can clean spit-up off a new shirt with the best of them. Attend parent-teacher conferences, soccer games, doctor appointments and special events together as a family. You’ll not only be showing your community that you’re a "regular" parent, you’ll be showing your children that you are proud of your family, and that they can be too. Do you have thoughts you would like to share on this? Share your viewpoint on the blog. We’ll see you next week when we begin discussing the 2008 presidential election. In fairness, Your KFA Team! Resources:
Sources: www.aclu.org, www.courierjournal.com, www.lgbtmap.org, and www.nclrights.org.
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The
Ampersand symbolizes the solidarity we are building through 