In our pursuit of equality, the gay community must do more for same-sex families.
This point was driven home to me by an excellent piece by GLAAD.
The subject of the piece was that while T.V. shows featuring same-sex families like Modern Family are raking in awards and accolades, actual same-sex families face a barrage of negativity from the religious right.
A vivid portion of the piece was when Jeremy Hooper, the post's author, detailed various comments made about same-sex families:
So what do we do to combat this mess? Simple. By not putting up with it. By loudly and without apology declaring offense when comments like the above are made, even if those making them play the "deeply held religious belief" card.
And even before comments like the above are made, the gay community must not allow folks like Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown, and others to own the idea of "family." We all know that when these individuals talk about family love and support, they are talking about only the heterosexual (and usually married man and wife) model.
Reality tells us that families come in all numbers and are brought together due to a multitude of circumstances. Families are not determined by the number of designated models in it, but by the love and support it gives out.
Our families are as loving and supportive as any other family unit and it's time that we let people know it.
The subject of the piece was that while T.V. shows featuring same-sex families like Modern Family are raking in awards and accolades, actual same-sex families face a barrage of negativity from the religious right.
A vivid portion of the piece was when Jeremy Hooper, the post's author, detailed various comments made about same-sex families:
Here are just a sampling of things that prominent GLAAD CAP figures from groups like the National Organization For Marriage and the American Family Association have recently said about parents like Mitchell and Cameron:
- Compared children losing their parents on 9/11 to children with gay parents: "Our President gave a speech a few days ago in which he said, ‘the tragedy of 9/11 was that it robbed so many children of having a mommy or a daddy.' Well, you know something Mr. President, your failure to defend marriage and to redefine marriage means that everybody who is under that redefined marriage will lack either a mommy or a daddy and that is morally wrong.”
Jim Garlow [CAP]
- Claims that children with gay parents will end up “behind bars for committing violent crimes.” (0:00 - 0:56)
Mat Staver [CAP]
- Says gay couples who adopt “turn children into little teacup dogs -- it's an accessory to put in my purse" (see video from 4:35-5:16)
Chris Plante [CAP]
- Leant credence to a widely discredted study suggesting gay parents are not ideal: "What we should avoid at all costs is silencing such research and such discussion because it is seen by some as politically incorrect. Where optimizing the well-being of children is involved, no stone should be left unturned."- Claimed lesbian parents need to be studied to see if they "turned" their child transgender: "We have two women raising a child. He's adopted. And he's come to believe that he too is female. That argues for a complete psychological evaluation, not just of the boy, but of his parents as well to see whether psychological forces are at play here to make him say such things"
Keith Albow [CAP]
- Said two loving gay parents add no value to parenting: "But the fatherhood ‘effect’ is not cumulative - two daddies are not better than one
Jim Daly [CAP]
- Referring to President Obama’s Father’s Day recognition of gay parents: “[H]ere we have the leader of our nation and the Democrat [sic] Party celebrating sexual behavior which is contrary to nature and pushing a household structure that we know is harmful to children ... [O]ur President is so committed to normalizing homosexual conduct that he is putting the twisted sexual desires of adults ahead of the needs of children.”
Tim Wildmon [CAP]
- “That lifestyle [homosexuality] is outside of God’s design for the family.” (0:23-0:28)
Bob Vander Plaats [CAP]
- On multiple occasions, called for an “Underground Railroad to deliver innocent children from same-sex households”- Claims "allowing gay adoption is a form of sexual abuse"
Bryan Fischer [CAP]
- Warned: “We’re not going to allow gay people to adopt children, that’s against nature, it’s against nature’s God.” (1:24-1:28)
Bill Donohue [CAP]
So what do we do to combat this mess? Simple. By not putting up with it. By loudly and without apology declaring offense when comments like the above are made, even if those making them play the "deeply held religious belief" card.
And even before comments like the above are made, the gay community must not allow folks like Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown, and others to own the idea of "family." We all know that when these individuals talk about family love and support, they are talking about only the heterosexual (and usually married man and wife) model.
Reality tells us that families come in all numbers and are brought together due to a multitude of circumstances. Families are not determined by the number of designated models in it, but by the love and support it gives out.
Our families are as loving and supportive as any other family unit and it's time that we let people know it.
Have you seen the new ads? No gay people. Only Str8 people talking about how they wish my _______ could get married like us.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like Modern Family and LOVE the New Normal, it is the only time we see gay families on TV.
I see better ads from other countries that realy have some punch but not here.
What can we do?