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LIBERAL GOVERNMENT HYPOCRITICAL ON SAME-SEX
PARENTING
It was reported in the media that the Justice
Department had completed a summary of studies that allegedly
indicate that there are no differences between children of
heterosexual and homosexual parents. This was in response
to the Liberal government's recent support of same-sex marriage
in the courts.
The Liberal government is hypocritical in
taking this position since it contradicts the position it
took only one year ago at the Ontario Court of Appeal when
it argued against the constitutionality of same-sex marriages.
To corroborate its arguments against same-sex
marriages in the Ontario appeal case, the federal Attorney
General submitted in evidence an affidavit by Sociology Professor
Stephen Nock of the University of Virginia, Associate Editor
of the "Journal of Marriage, and the Family and Social
Science Research." According to his affidavit, Professor
Nock concluded that studies supporting homosexual parenting
were based on unreliable research and flawed methodology,
and, as a result, provided a very tenuous basis on which to
set public policy.
Other experts on psychometrics and empirical
research in psychology have also extensively reviewed the
literature affirming same-sex parenting, and have determined
that such studies have failed to meet even minimal scientific
standards and do not justify the conclusion that there are
no adverse consequences for children due to the sexual orientation
of their parents.
Significantly, many of the studies included
in the Justice Department's list in support of same-sex parenting
were, in fact, singled out by Professor Nock in his affidavit
as not being conducted according to general accepted standards
of scientific research. Moreover, the conclusions reached
in many of the studies in the Justice Department's list were
contradicted in Professor Nock's affidavit.
Finally, that many of the studies listed by
the federal Justice Department to support same-sex parenting
were published in either homosexual, lesbian or feminist journals.
These studies could be considered as advocacy studies only,
at best. Very few studies raising concerns about same-sex
parenting were included in the Justice Department list and
when reported, they were either criticized or completely dismissed,
out of hand.
The Justice Department's attempt to justify
same-sex parenting by providing a list of studies purporting
to show that there is no difference between heterosexual and
homosexual parenting was deeply flawed. It amounted only to
subjective analysis of the studies and was so biased, as to
be of little value.
Children must be given priority over political
correctness, and the problems with same-sex parenting must
be honestly and objectively reported. Children must not be
used as tools to further a political agenda, which appears
to be the case with the Justice Department's recent release.
1. Belcastro, P.A., Gramlich, T., Nicholson,
T., Price, J., & Wilson, R. (1993). "A review of
data-based studies addressing the effects of homosexual parenting
on children's sexual and social functioning." Journal
of Divorce and Remarriage, 20 (1/2), 105-122.
2. Stacey, J., Biblarz, T.J. (2001). "(How)
does the sexual orientation of parents matter?" American
Sociological Review, Vol 66(2), Apr 2001. pp. 159-183.
3. Patterson, C.J., Fulcher, M., Wainright,
J. (2002). "Children of lesbian and gay parents: Research,
law, and policy." Bottoms, Bette L. (Ed); Bull Kovera,
Margaret (Ed); et al; 2002. Children, social science, and
the law. New York, NY, US: Cambridge University Press. Pp.
176-199.
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