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Debate: Gay adoption
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Revision as of 09:56, 29 May 2010 (edit) Destinero (Talk | contribs) (→Yes) ← Previous diff |
Revision as of 11:52, 29 May 2010 (edit) Lenkahabetinova (Talk | contribs) (adding valid arguments from before) Next diff → |
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====Yes==== | ====Yes==== | ||
+ | *'''A changing society should not cling to traditional family models.''' Society is changing, and the traditional idea of the nuclear family with married mother and father is no longer the only acceptable alternative. The reason that many countries are beginning to award legal rights to gay couples is because the stability of such relationships is now recognised. There is no reason, therefore, why such couples cannot provide a stable and loving upbringing for children. | ||
*'''The factors predicting healthy adjustment are the same for traditional and nontraditional families, and children or adolescents in nontraditional families are just as capable of healthy adjustment as those in traditional settings.''' [http://www.glad.org/uploads/docs/cases/2009-11-17-doma-aff-lamb.pdf "Affidavit - United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts" Michael Lamb, Ph.D. 2009]: "Nontraditional families constitute the vast majority of families in the United States today. Society’s early assumptions about the superiority of the traditional family form have been challenged by the results of empirical research. Since the end of the 1980’s, as a result, it has been well established that children and adolescents can adjust just as well in nontraditional settings as in traditional settings." | *'''The factors predicting healthy adjustment are the same for traditional and nontraditional families, and children or adolescents in nontraditional families are just as capable of healthy adjustment as those in traditional settings.''' [http://www.glad.org/uploads/docs/cases/2009-11-17-doma-aff-lamb.pdf "Affidavit - United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts" Michael Lamb, Ph.D. 2009]: "Nontraditional families constitute the vast majority of families in the United States today. Society’s early assumptions about the superiority of the traditional family form have been challenged by the results of empirical research. Since the end of the 1980’s, as a result, it has been well established that children and adolescents can adjust just as well in nontraditional settings as in traditional settings." | ||
*'''Nuclear families are failing; can hardly be held up against gay adoption.''' Of all families in Australia, 22% of them are single parent families. Few will fully establish a child's potential. Over 45,000 Australian marriages will end in divorce, few of these will be families. So, it is wrong to promote the nuclear family when it is failing so badly, and it is wrong to hold-out on gay adoption in favor of the nuclear family, for the same reason. | *'''Nuclear families are failing; can hardly be held up against gay adoption.''' Of all families in Australia, 22% of them are single parent families. Few will fully establish a child's potential. Over 45,000 Australian marriages will end in divorce, few of these will be families. So, it is wrong to promote the nuclear family when it is failing so badly, and it is wrong to hold-out on gay adoption in favor of the nuclear family, for the same reason. | ||
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====No==== | ====No==== | ||
- | + | *'''Opposing gay adoption preserves traditional family as ideal for child-rearing.''' Just as married couples receive tax benefits and unmarried mothers may suffer cuts in welfare, legal prohibition of adoption by gays is a natural step towards this ideal. The traditional nuclear family is still an ideal that should be clung to, and which deserves the protection and motivation of the state. Evolution and nature has shown that the natural development of the young is aided by both these influences. | |
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====Yes==== | ====Yes==== | ||
- | ''If we take the assumption that it is not natural...'' | + | *'''[[Argument: Children do better with mother and father role models| Children do better with mother and father role models]]''' - Children benefit from a balance of male and female, differentiated role models. The unique characteristics of men and women are important to impart on children. Same-sex marriage fundamentally undermines this balanced approach to child-rearing. |
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====Yes==== | ====Yes==== | ||
+ | *'''[[Argument:The sexuality of parents has no effects on a child's future life|The sexuality of parents has no effects on a child's future life]]'''. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_parenting#Support American Psychological Association (Resolution on Sexual Orientation, Parents, and Children)] "There is no scientific evidence that parenting effectiveness is related to parental sexual orientation: lesbian and gay parents are as likely as heterosexual parents to provide supportive and healthy environments for their children"; and "research has shown that the adjustment, development, and psychological well-being of children is unrelated to parental sexual orientation and that the children of lesbian and gay parents are as likely as those of heterosexual parents to flourish." | ||
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+ | *'''A child’s primary role models are his or her parents.''' Bringing a heterosexual child up in a gay household gives them a distorted view of a minority sexuality, just as a girl brought up by two men would fail to benefit from a feminine influence. | ||
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*'''[[Argument: The relevance of causes of sexual orientation to policy is dubious| The relevance of causes of sexual orientation to policy is dubious]]''' [http://wedding.thejons.net/homework/optional_readings.pdf "Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships in the United States : A social science perspective." American Psychologist. 2006] "The relevance of this question to policy is dubious because homosexuality is neither an illness nor a disability, and the mental health professions do not regard a homosexual or bisexual orientation as harmful, undesirable, or requiring intervention or prevention." | *'''[[Argument: The relevance of causes of sexual orientation to policy is dubious| The relevance of causes of sexual orientation to policy is dubious]]''' [http://wedding.thejons.net/homework/optional_readings.pdf "Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships in the United States : A social science perspective." American Psychologist. 2006] "The relevance of this question to policy is dubious because homosexuality is neither an illness nor a disability, and the mental health professions do not regard a homosexual or bisexual orientation as harmful, undesirable, or requiring intervention or prevention." | ||
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+ | *'''Some babies are born with a predisposition to homosexuality''' (both human and in other races), and their upbringing will not be affect their sexuality. Attempting to suppress this genetic predisposition has resulted in great misery for many people. Rather, we should accept this and look to embrace all gay people fully – which must include celebrating gay role models, especially as responsible parents. | ||
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====Yes==== | ====Yes==== | ||
+ | *'''[[Argument:Homosexual parenting is just as good as heterosexual parenting| Homosexual parenting is just as good as heterosexual parenting]]''' Numerous studies indicate that homosexual parenting has proven equally capable as heterosexual parenting. | ||
*'''[[Argument: There is no scientific basis for concluding that gay and lesbian parents are any less fit or capable than heterosexual parents, or that their children are any less psychologically healthy and well adjusted.| There is no scientific basis for concluding that gay and lesbian parents are any less fit or capable than heterosexual parents, or that their children are any less psychologically healthy and well adjusted.]]''' [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/highprofile/documents/Amer_Psychological_Assn_Amicus_Curiae_Brief.pdf "Case No. S147999 in the Supreme Court of the State of California, In re Marriage Cases Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding No. 4365, Application for leave to file brief amici curiae in support of the parties challenging the marriage exclusion, and brief amici curiae of the American Psychological Association, California Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social Workers, and National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter in support of the parties challenging the marriage exclusion"]: "Although it is sometimes asserted in policy debates that heterosexual couples are inherently better parents than same-sex couples, or that the children of lesbian or gay parents fare worse than children raised by heterosexual parents, those assertions find no support in the scientific research literature." | *'''[[Argument: There is no scientific basis for concluding that gay and lesbian parents are any less fit or capable than heterosexual parents, or that their children are any less psychologically healthy and well adjusted.| There is no scientific basis for concluding that gay and lesbian parents are any less fit or capable than heterosexual parents, or that their children are any less psychologically healthy and well adjusted.]]''' [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/highprofile/documents/Amer_Psychological_Assn_Amicus_Curiae_Brief.pdf "Case No. S147999 in the Supreme Court of the State of California, In re Marriage Cases Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding No. 4365, Application for leave to file brief amici curiae in support of the parties challenging the marriage exclusion, and brief amici curiae of the American Psychological Association, California Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, National Association of Social Workers, and National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter in support of the parties challenging the marriage exclusion"]: "Although it is sometimes asserted in policy debates that heterosexual couples are inherently better parents than same-sex couples, or that the children of lesbian or gay parents fare worse than children raised by heterosexual parents, those assertions find no support in the scientific research literature." | ||
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*'''Children are currently being responsibly reared by gay couples''', where one of the partners is a biological parent. Allowing adoption by the other merely confers legal rights on an already successful, if informal, family model. | *'''Children are currently being responsibly reared by gay couples''', where one of the partners is a biological parent. Allowing adoption by the other merely confers legal rights on an already successful, if informal, family model. | ||
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+ | *'''[[Argument: Opponents of gay-adoption must prove heterosexuals make better parents| Opponents of gay-adoption must prove heterosexuals make better parents]]''' The burden of proof is on opponents of gay adoption to prove that homosexuals make worse parents. In the absence of such proof, it is unjust to restrict the rights of homosexuals to adopt. | ||
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==See also== | ==See also== | ||
*[[Debate: Same sex marriage ban]] | *[[Debate: Same sex marriage ban]] | ||
- | ==External links== | + | ==External links and resources== |
*["Gay adoption: A new take on the American family". CNN article. June 27, 2007] | *["Gay adoption: A new take on the American family". CNN article. June 27, 2007] | ||
* [http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/index.html ACLU: Gay and Lesbian Rights] | * [http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/index.html ACLU: Gay and Lesbian Rights] |
Revision as of 11:52, 29 May 2010
Should gay couples be given the same legal rights as heterosexuals in adopting children? |
Tradition: Should promotion of the traditional nuclear family be avoided? | |
Yes
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No
|
Natural: Is being brought up by a same sex couple natural? | |
Yes
|
No |
Natural: Does something being "Natural" imply that it is preferable? | |
Yes
|
No
|
Gay influence: Do gay parents influence children to become homosexual? | |
Yes
|
No
|
Quality: Are homosexual parents of equal quality in raising children? | |
Yes
|
No
|
Alternatives: Can gay parenting be superior to some of current alternatives? | |
Yes
|
No
|
Homophobia: Will the children of gay parents be able to deal with societal homophobia? | |
Yes
|
No
|
Religion: Is gay adoption allowable in the face of religious opposition to gay marriage? | |
Yes
|
No
|
Pro/con videos | |
Yes
|
No |
Pro/con resources | |
Yes"Europe: Gay Adoption Ruling Advances Family Equality". Human Rights Watch. January 24th, 2008 |
No
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See alsoExternal links and resources
Books:
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Categories: Politics | US politics | Law | Adoption | Morality | Family | Homosexuality | Civil rights | Parenting | LGBT | International | United States