I’m very pleased to hear that, Shodan 
Strongly disagree for the reasons posted in a thousand threads.
Economic -0.75
Social -2.82
Can you link to the specific argument out of the thousands you feel is strongest ** Sampiro**?
It’s been stated several times, but the fact that studies of children reared by gay parents are just as well adjusted and have no more gender confusion or likelihood of being gay or sense of maladjustment than any other adopted children. (Some studies indicate that gays are also stricter disciplinarians- please, no bondage jokes.) All “studies” that indicate gays are worse parents or that children reared by gays are more likely to be molested, sexuall confused, etc., are based on the self-published writings of Paul Cameron. Cameron’s work appears in glorified vanity presses such as Psychological Reports and he has been discredited by every major professional organization, was expelled from the APA, was denounced as an unethical liar by the not-exactly-flaming-liberal U. of Nebraska [where he taught], and he has told flat-out lies about children being sexually mutilated by gays, and yet the theocons still accept him as a qualified expert source. (More from my blogposting on the subject.)
So- the fact that reliable studies indicate gays are capable parents, the discrediting of studies stating the contrary, and the fact that there are many children in need of foster and adoptive homes all combine to be my reason for arriving at this conclusion. (The fact that I am gay myself honestly has no bearing- if reliable studies indicated gays were on average less capable at rearing well adjusted children than straights I’d be more inclined to disagree, though I’d still weigh the evidence on the individual basis.)
It almost sounds like you strongly agree with the statement in question. 
As I post, I’m babysitting my honorary grandchildren, the kids of one of my former wards and the girl from down the street who was the sister of another, along with the boys’ best friend and their cousin. We had no children of our own, and, Psycho Pirate, it was not a genetic defect. I’ve explained it at length in other threads, and quite frankly I’m irked at the tone of your post. I’ve known any number of non-traditional families, gay and straight, some of whom have done effective and some ineffective parenting, and several cases in which the adults forming a non-traditional family specifically set out to try to be more effective than their parents’ ineffective parenting.
I believe that children need role models of each sex, but not necessarily as a parent, and I believe that except in “let’s set up a hypothetical extreme” cases, they will find such role models in extended family and/or family friends.
Shodan, may I express my admiration? Both for the willingness to change attitude, and for the superb job of being an adoptive parent.
As for Paul Cameron (whom Sampiro references) he hasn’t had the distinction of a good Pitting in far too long – and I’d appreciate a current link to the sorts of sanctions that have been placed against him. Anyone care to do the honors – with reference to the Dobson operation’s support of him?
The very first page that comes up when he’s googled (before his own organization homepage even) is this one; its links include PDFs of the notification of his expulsion from APA and his responses as well as various dissections. It also discusses his various “studies” (the average gay man dies at 43, most child molesters are gay, etc.) and exposes the methodology flaws and other biases.
Wayne Besen’s book Anything but Straight also does an excellent Cameron deconstruction, some of it from the same sources as the UC-Davis site above but with information not included on that site as well.
You certainly may, and I will lap it up and purr, but if you had ever met the children in question, it would quickly become apparent that the credit lies roughly 90% with them and about 9.85% with my wife.
Parenting both is like surfing - more a question of hanging on and surviving in the face of forces much greater than yourself than exerting much influence over events. Hell of a ride, though.
Coincidentally, I am informed that I must go shopping for gym shoes for myself. My daughter has discarded the old ones, firmly informing me not to fish them out of the trash, and is now waiting for me to drive to the store so she can pick out the selection of shoes from which I can choose. “And not white ones this time.”
:eek:
Say hi to your grandkids for me.
Regards,
Shodan
:smack:
Reading comprehension is good fish.