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Gay adoption

ARGUMENTS FOR:

Many gay couples - certainly those offering themselves as adoptive parents - form relationships that are more stable than many heterosexual marriages, thus giving adopted children a secure emotional home.

In an era when many children are raised by single parents - with proven disadvantages such as lower educational achievements and poor behaviour - gay couples offer adopted children two full-time parents.

Lesbian couples are permitted to have children through artificial insemination. The record is that such couples provide loving homes and raise well-balanced children.

Barring gay men and lesbians from becoming 'parents' is discrimination, based on sexual orientation, which would not be acceptable in other contexts such as employment.

There is a shortage of adoptive parents. The 'family', whether gay or straight, is better than the foster-care system.

The First Post guide to the issue of the day

ARGUMENTS AGAINST:

To grow up to be well-balanced adults, children need role models of both sexes. Boys without fathers under-achieve, especially since there are now fewer male teachers in primary schools.

We are a 'Christian' country - even if few go to church, our values remain based on Christian teaching. Two parents are axiomatic - 'Honour thy father and mother', invokes the Fifth Commandment.

Children raised by gay parents are offered only one partnership model and are therefore (some argue) more likely to be gay.

If Roman Catholic adoption agencies close rather than allow gay couples to adopt, the number of adopted children will decline, leaving more in the unsatisfactory care system.

Some areas of life cannot be legislated for and must be left to individual conscience. A sufficiently large minority simply find gay parenting 'wrong'; the practice therefore should not be enforced on all.

FIRST POSTED JANUARY 24, 2007

News & Comment: News & Politics