Studies: Children of gay parents just like other kids

This is one report and news article you won't see the Family Foundation of Kentucky or the lesser American Family Association of Kentucky talking about in any blogs.

Years ago the Kentucky Enquirer reported that children raised by homosexual couples are no different than children raised by heterosexual couples. Why would they be?

The Miami-Herald published this story today:

At least 4 million U.S. children have one or both parents who identify themselves as homosexual, said Gary Gates of the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, but long-term studies are still limited.

Sociologists Judith Stacey and Timothy Biblarz published an analysis in 2001 in the American Sociological Review of 21 studies of children raised by homosexual parents and found that, overall, they were no more likely to suffer from psychological problems than kids raised in conventional homes.

Ultimately, their findings were generally endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and other mainstream organizations.

The bottom line is that within the research community there are no empirical studies demonstrating adverse effects, said Stacey, who is now at New York University. ''We know that a parent's sexual orientation is not a significant factor. A good parent is a good parent . . . and parents who get along and are consistent in their child-rearing . . . have better outcomes than those who don't,'' she said.

Orson Morrison, a 35-year-old clinical psychologist, found that to be his experience growing up in Toronto.

Though society has become more tolerant, the political environment has become harsher, making homosexuality one of the last bastions of acceptable discrimination.

Tipping point? Not likely!

The article below may in fact be good news for states that do not have constitutional amendments making same-sex marriage illegal, but we have a lot of work to go in the states that have constitutional amendments. Those amendments must be repealed by "the people" who voted in favor of them.

April’s triple triumph on the front lines of the U.S. same-sex marriage wars — Vermont lawmakers approved marriage on April 7, the same day D.C. City Council voted to recognize marriages performed elsewhere, and the Iowa Supreme Court on April 3 ruled in favor of gays — have many on both sides of the ideological divide wondering if the issue is on the cusp of a tipping point.

Gay activists are saying it’s possible, even likely, that the issue is far enough along to have reached an unquantifiable inevitability now that same-sex marriage is legal in four states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Iowa). But last year’s bitter loss in California (Proposition 8’s approval on the November ballot outlawed same-sex marriage there, which had been legal since a state Supreme Court ruling in May) and the 29 state constitutional amendments restricting marriage to one man and one woman make it clear gay activists are far from home free.

Freedom to Marry’s Evan Wolfson, who’s gay, said, “We have tremendous wind in our sails” and “each success moves us further toward our goals.”

Richard Socarides, a gay New York attorney who was a White House adviser under President Bill Clinton, said, “there’s certainly more momentum than there’s ever been.”

Mike Jones, a gay blogger and communications director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, said the movement is “definitely heading toward a point where there will be unstoppable momentum.”

The first rule in politics is to never underestimate your opponent. We have yet another one; a very powerful one (in additional to the American Family Association, Liberty Counsel, etc.) the National Organization for Marriage.

Previous story: Powerful anti-gay groups goes on high alert

Previous story: Anti-gay groups working overtime to stop the Employment Non-Discrimination Act

Previous story: Liberty Council tires to stop gay marriages in California (again)

The National Organization for Marriage aired its ad April 8 — the day after the Vermont Legislature legalized same-sex marriage and less than one week after the Iowa Supreme Court granted marriage rights to gay couples in its ruling.

Amid storm clouds and rumbling thunder, actors in the commercial say that supporters of same-sex marriage are advancing rights for gay couples in ways that hurt others. One woman says she’s a doctor who must choose between her faith and her profession; another says she’s helpless to stop Massachusetts public schools from teaching lessons condoning same-sex marriage; and one man says his New Jersey church group was punished for opposing gay nuptials.

The organization claims it spent $1.5 million on the commercial.

Maggie Gallagher, NOM’s president, told the Blade the ad was “more successful” than they “imagined or hoped.” She said the commercial has inspired a significant response from “small donors and the activist base.”

Gallagher said NOM released its commercial in response to the same-sex marriage developments in Vermont and Iowa.

“The main message point I saw being unleashed in the media is that this somehow — right after our great victories in California, Arizona and Florida — that this court decision and the state of Vermont meant the marriage fight was over,” she said. “And we thought it was important to get out and communicate that … Americans do care about the marriage issue and we’re not giving up on this.”

Bottom line, don't get your hopes up. We need volunteers to remain on guarded and ready to respond now more than ever!

Thank Pepsi - Another AFA Victim

FW: Email

Jake, at www.pageonekentucky.com, posted a blog yesterday about Pepsi and the AFA: http://pageonekentucky.com/2009/02/04/warning-kentuckians-gay-people-drink-pepsi (if you have not watched this video, you should).

Apparently this is the national AFA policy (I did not realize this at the time).

I sent Pepsi an email, they responded with this:

Thank you for contacting us at PepsiCo and for sharing your thoughts.

As a company, we made a commitment to promote and support diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our business. We’re proud of the success we’ve had in attracting some of the best and the brightest from around the world and in building a workforce that is truly reflective of the consumers we serve.

At PepsiCo, diversity and inclusion are among the values we have adopted for ourselves in the workplace because we see them as important to our viability and success—as individual employees and as a company. And we believe strongly that these values will enhance other businesses and work environments as well.

Again, thank you for your interest in our company.

My friend Michael at change.org has an action alert about it, and I urge all of you to let your readers know how to contact Pepsi and sign this petition:

http://gayrights.change.org/actions/view/thank_pepsi_for_their_support_of_lgbt_rights

Come on…..help! AFA and their boycotts are legendary, from Ford to Disney, they never seem to stop! We need to push back!

Christian Site's Ban on 'G' Word Sends Homosexual to Olympics

The American Family Association makes a huge mistake.

Boycott of Ford ends; They're coming to your town....the AFA

The hateful, anti-gay American Family Association ended its boycott of Ford today after they say Ford caved to their demands. From their website, the hateful American Family Association (AFA) has such things as “They’re coming to your town,” and “If your child's school observes the homosexual sponsored "Day of Silence," keep your child at home April 25."

Who are they kidding with this graphic? LGBT people are in every corner of the world!

The two-year boycott of Ford over the automaker's advertising on Web sites and in publications geared toward the gay community. The conservative group confirmed today that Ford has met all of the conditions presented by the group in fall 2005, shortly before a boycott began in March 2006 over Ford's practice of offering benefits to same-sex couples and its marketing efforts in the gay community.

The AFA, based in Tupelo, Miss., singled out Ford as "the company [that] has done the most to affirm and promote the homosexual lifestyle," according to an early post on the group's Web site, boycottford.com, which is now inoperative. Ford representatives, dealers and AFA leaders were in discussions for several months prior to the boycott.Some Ford dealers, particularly in the South, have said that the boycott impacted their sales.

Ford's ad spending has remained consistent for the last three years: $1.6 billion in 2005, $1.76 billion in 2006 and $1.6 billion last year, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Figures do not include Internet spending.

Bigoted organizations that wrongfully right in the name of righteousness.

As the American Family Association continues its boycott of Ford, others are actually sponsoring the national hate group that lists the following on their website:

• The mandate for marriage continues. Voters in seven states passed amendments that protected the institution of a man and a woman.
• Homosexual groups are pushing to place gender confusion and the cross-dress identities into the youngest levels of public education. American Family Association (AFA) says it has now secured over 700,000 signatures from those pledging to boycott the Ford Motor Company over its continued support of same-sex marriage and homosexual advocacy.
• Supporters of hate crimes laws routinely deny that these politically correct laws are intended to silence religious speech or opposition to gay rights political agendas. Yet, when given the chance to prove this claim, the supporters of hate crimes show their true colors.
• AT&T needs to hear from you today! Ask them to stop sponsoring the mockery of God on TNT network.

Who supports and sponsors the American Family Association, and the Louisville based American Family Association of Kentucky?

• Kroger
• Thornton's
• Wal-Mart (click here for a related post about Wal-Mart)

When you visit the national American Family Association website and click "donate," there is an annoying cartoon-like character of Don Wildmon, their Chairman, thanking you for your donating. Well, thanks but no thanks Don, I'll be keeping my money for a more worthwhile cause other than supporting an intolerant, bigoted organization such as yours.

The United States of America has over 300 million citizens. The American Family Association claims nearly 3.3 million members which accounts for 1% of the total population. Is it really a stretch to believe that 1% of the total United States population are closet homosexuals or have gay issues they haven't addressed yet? Why else would they be so terrified of a minority group and do everything possible to deny constitutional freedoms to them? I know one thing.....I'm sick of them spoon feeding rhetoric to the public.....I'm fighting back, starting with this post.

Though the American Family Association claims nearly 3.3 million members, their Kentucky chapter could only manage to gather a mere 200 people to visit the Kentucky Capital the day they held a rally and no lawmaker was present.