Thursday, July 06, 2006

Attacking families & banning gay marriage hurts children. Why is this even news?

By Diane Silver

This week we get the stunning news that the nation's largest pediatricians group is reporting that legal and economic barriers designed to destroy families hurt children.

Not a shock, really, except when you realize that the report from the American Academy of Pediatrics is talking about the impact of same-sex marriage bans on the children of lesbians and gays.

365gay.com reports:
"Children of same-gender parents often experience economic, legal, and familial insecurity as a result of the absence of legal recognition of their bonds to nonbiological parents" and that "legal recognition of a [same-gender] spouse can increase the ability of adult couples to provide and care for one another and fosters a nurturing and secure environment for their children," the report said.
The report also notes:
Nationwide political and religious debate over same gender marriage has intensified an already unstable climate for gay men and lesbians in our society. The lack of societal tolerance, acceptance, and support that gay and lesbian individuals, couples, and their children experience can and does affect their psychosocial and physical health and safety.
The 55,000-members Academy is considered the most influential professional organization for pediatricians in the United States, according to 365gay.com.

Nothing in this report is surprising, except for the fact that it is needed at all.

Common sense is often thrown out the window in political debates about lesbian and gays. Perhaps, the problem isn't simply that common sense is jetisoned, but that some heterosexuals are incapable of seeing us as human beings. If these folks could open their eyes, nothing in this week's report would be a surprise.

We love our children. Our children love us. Our families help our children grow strong. Undermine our families, make them legally insecure, threaten their financial safety, and our children will be hurt.

It is as simple as ABC.

No comments: