“At-Risk,” or Imposing One’s Religious Views on Society
I hate Michelle Bachmann. Okay, I know “hate” is a strong word, and I don’t even know the woman, but every time I see a snippet of her on television or read about something she’s said, I want to slap the shit out of her.
When did all these extremist nut-jobs start entering politics, anyway? Has this always been the case and I just didn’t notice until the last decade or so, or is this a new phenomenon, possibly reflecting impending Armageddon?
Do you know that she not only believes that marriage is between a man and a woman, but that children of same-sex couples are “at-risk”? Maybe you agree with these sentiments. If you’re a Tea Partier yourself, or just a Republican, or perchance even just a Good Christian, you probably do.
Here’s the problem: first of all, without going into a big, long, ranty diatribe about the fact that “marriage” is a man-made institution and therefore there is no inherent definition; it is what society decides it is, and it has historically, and should continue to, evolve to reflect a changing society (remember, it wasn’t all that long ago that black people were by law not allowed to marry white people; and there was a time before that when black people weren’t even allowed to legally marry other black people! Yes, indeed, right here in the Good Old U S of A). This whole “marriage is between a man and a woman” bullshit is nothing more than thinly veiled prejudice cloaked in fake morality. It’s imposing one’s religious views on society – nothing more, nothing less. And it pisses me off.
Moving on to Ms. Bachmann’s other claim, though, that children of same-sex couples are at risk – how are they at risk? What, exactly, are they at risk of? She makes this claim, this vague but ominous sounding claim, and yet offers no specifics, and no facts, studies, or research to back it up. Oh yeah! I keep forgetting – she’s part of that special sector of society that gets to make ludicrous claims that have no evidence to back them up (um, have you heard about the invisible, all powerful guy in the sky who rules the universe?)!
I decided to do my own mini-research project. Are children of same-sex couples actually “at-risk”? Here’s a sampling of what I came up with:
How Do Children in Same-Sex Adoption Fare?
Same-Sex Couples and Same-Sex Couples Raising Children in the United States (It is interesting that this particular study notes that, “Many people in same-sex couples look like Americans generally. Individuals in same- sex couples raising children, however, do not fare as well as their different-sex counterparts: they are less affluent, more racially and ethnically diverse, and hence particularly in need of the legal, social, and economic benefits of marriage.” Note that this is a statement about the individuals in the same-sex couple itself, not a statement about that couple’s children. Basically, though, people in same-sex couples don’t fare as well in society as their different-sex counterparts because they are not afforded the same rights and benefits as their different-sex counterparts. In other words, they suffer, not because they’re gay, but because they are subject to discrimination.)
Children of Lesbian Couples Do Just Fine, Studies Show
Children of Same-Sex Couples Do As Well As Other Children
In fact, I didn’t find a single article that supports the notion that children of same-sex couples are “at-risk.” And for the record, my search queries were neutral: “How do children of same sex couples fare?” and “Children of gay parents.”
I have gay friends, and some of them are raising children. I can tell you that they are just like us heteros: they buy groceries, they worry about money, they water their lawns, they wonder where to send their kids to school, they volunteer in their kids’ classrooms and attend PTA and Girl Scout meetings, they argue with their significant others, they complain about their extended families, they take their kids to the doctor, they take their kids to swimming lessons, they want to see their kids go to college and get married and have families of their own some day. They are not “deviant” or “immoral.” They’re people who generally have the same dreams and goals and values as anyone else – they just happen to be attracted to members of the same sex. They are not raising their kids in any deviant or immoral way.
Let’s talk about the kids who actually are “at-risk” – as evidenced by history and various studies (and by at-risk, I mean at risk for things like depression, low self-esteem, teen suicide, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, eating disorders, dropping out of high school, and the like):
- Kids of alcoholics
- Kids of drug abusers
- Kids of parents who inflict emotional abuse
- Kids of parents who inflict physical abuse
- Kids of parents who have unstable relationships
- Kids of families who live in poverty
- Kids who are subject to discrimination and prejudice
- Kids who are bullied
- Kids of uneducated parents
- Kids of unemployed parents
Life As I Know It 
I was listening to a gay comedian a while back and he was talking about same sex couples raising children, He said, “I don’t see what the problem is. It seems to me that these homophobes should be all for gay people raising children! After all, it is the hetero couples that are bringing these gay children into the world!!”
and I highly agree with that last statement. kids that are brought up to believe there is only ONE right way are just going to continue to poison society.
I dont believe in legislating marriage – people should be able to choose.
Also, I am all for homosexual couples adopting… no one will convince me that it is better for a child to be left in an orphanage than to have a family – gay, straight or single parent…
Whether you want to believe in the big guy in the sky or not… you will stand before him one day and have to answer for all of your life you have lived! He loves you even though you spread this non-sense. Marriage is not a man-made institution…. God created man and woman to become one! Read it in the Bible… even though I’m sure you don’t believe in all that stuff… right? He is the creator of the universe and all that’s in it…. even you! If you choose not to believe in him, he gives you that right! But you will answer to him on the day of judgement! And don’t give me all that about a “loving God” wouldn’t do this or that! Oh, yes he will! He gives us plenty of warning about it…. so don’t be surprised!
Wow, a voice of reason. Like I said …
Really, just so many responses I can think of. Like:
– Wow! Okay, I’m convinced! You’ve sold me!
– I love how people threaten me with things I don’t believe in and expect me to be intimidated.
– And I suppose God has appointed YOU as one of his Soul-Savers?
– Where’s your evidence? Where? WHERE??????
W. Macado, you are so reasonable and full of milk of human kindness, that I am thinking I’d rather go to hell just to avoid your company in heaven.
Really~same sex marriage! I don’t give a rat’s ass about homosexual marriages or adoption. I would like to see our country get out of debt to the rest of the world, update the tax code so everyone pays their share and make the future better for my children. We are almost 2 1/2 years away from another presidential election. The president is riding a bus around the country pitching the same bullshi*t he has been for the last 2 years. A congresswoman is also riding around in a bus trying to debate her way into the Presidential election. Shouldn’t these people be working?? The majority of U.S. citizens don’t get paid unless they go to work. I’m personally tired of people telling the rest of the country what he/she should be doing in the bedroom or with whom. Unless you have a job you’re not adopting or getting married. You’re just trying to survive. Take care of the real problems. And that’s why neither one of these candidates will get my vote.