Influential pediatricians group backs gay marriage
CHICAGO (AP) - The nation's most influential pediatrician's group has endorsed gay marriage, saying a stable relationship between parents regardless of sexual orientation contributes to a child's health and well-being.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' new policy, published online Thursday, cites research showing that the parents' sexual orientation has no effect on a child's development. Kids fare just as well in gay or straight families when they are nurturing and financially and emotionally stable, the academy says.
The academy believes that a two-parent marriage is best equipped to provide that kind of environment. Their policy says that if a child has two gay parents who choose to marry, "it is in the best interests of their children that legal and social institutions allow and support them to do so."
The policy cites reports indicating that almost 2 million U.S. children are being raised by gay parents, many of them in states that don't allow gays to marry.
The academy announced its position Thursday. Officials with the group said they wanted to make the academy's views known before two gay marriage cases are considered by the U.S. Supreme Court next week.
"We wanted that policy statement available for the justices to review," said Dr. Thomas McInerney, the academy's president and a pediatrician in Rochester, N.Y.
The pediatricians' stance is not surprising. They previously joined other national groups including the American Medical Association in supporting one of the Supreme Court cases, which contends the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. The academy also previously supported adoption by gay parents.
The academy's statement notes that several other national health groups have supported gay marriage. Those are the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association and the American College of Nursing.
Dr. Ben Siegel, a Boston pediatrician and chairman of an academy committee that developed the new policy, said its focus is on "nurturing children. We want what's best for children."
The American Academy of Pediatrics' new policy, published online Thursday, cites research showing that the parents' sexual orientation has no effect on a child's development. Kids fare just as well in gay or straight families when they are nurturing and financially and emotionally stable, the academy says.
The academy believes that a two-parent marriage is best equipped to provide that kind of environment. Their policy says that if a child has two gay parents who choose to marry, "it is in the best interests of their children that legal and social institutions allow and support them to do so."
The policy cites reports indicating that almost 2 million U.S. children are being raised by gay parents, many of them in states that don't allow gays to marry.
The academy announced its position Thursday. Officials with the group said they wanted to make the academy's views known before two gay marriage cases are considered by the U.S. Supreme Court next week.
"We wanted that policy statement available for the justices to review," said Dr. Thomas McInerney, the academy's president and a pediatrician in Rochester, N.Y.
The pediatricians' stance is not surprising. They previously joined other national groups including the American Medical Association in supporting one of the Supreme Court cases, which contends the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. The academy also previously supported adoption by gay parents.
The academy's statement notes that several other national health groups have supported gay marriage. Those are the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association and the American College of Nursing.
Dr. Ben Siegel, a Boston pediatrician and chairman of an academy committee that developed the new policy, said its focus is on "nurturing children. We want what's best for children."
"Â Kids fare just as well in gay or straight families when they are nurturing and financially and emotionally stable, the academy says."
Of course children do better when they come from a household that is emotionally and financially stable, however the most important part is that children come from a NURTURING family. The parent(s) can be gay, straight, rich, poor, married, or single, the way you nurture your children is what makes them who they are. Give them love, instill values, teach them manners, hug them, tell them you love them everyday, spend quality time with them, support them... that's what makes a good parent.Â
For years, studies showed that children need both a mother and father to have the best developement:
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19951123&slug=2154022
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/10/study-children-fare-better-traditional-mom-dad-fam/?page=all
Now all of the sudden these experts are saying that it makes no difference whether the kid has both a mother and father, or two parents of the same sex. Makes me wonder if they really believe that...or if they are just simply buckling under social pressure, and are now too afraid to say that kids need both a mom and a dad because it's no longer the politically correct thing to say.
@Silver_Shot Kids need (a) caring parent(s). The gender and type of relationships don't mean a thing. Kids don't have prejudices towards gender, sexual orientation, or race, those are all learned behaviors. Take any two kids, one from a same sex couple, and one from a heterosexual couple. The kid who has loving caring and supportive adults in the home will allways do better than the one from a dysfunctional home.
Gee, no suprise here. Another far left liberal mind set.
@wickeddriver So why'd ya bother wasting your precious time reading it if you're so opposed?
@what? Some people can't get past their own prejudice to see that one's sexuality really has nothing to do with whether or not they are a good parent.Â
It's discrimination at its finest.Â
Perfectly straight parents can have gay children and gay parents can have straight children. We know there is more to sexual orientation than what you are exposed to. And how much better for any child to have a stable and loving home. I have seen many unstable and chaotic "straight" homes and some very loving and stable gay homes. We need equal rights for people and that should have happened a long time ago.
And in related news, a local kayaking club speaks out in favor of smaller class sizes...
And Progress progresses forward!
With SCOTUS set to rule on DOMA & Prop8 we can finally put this behind us and treat all citizens equally, fairly, justly and in a manner that benefits society!
@EMDF9AÂ What's sad about the whole thing is we could have done this YEARS ago, i have no idea why it took this long.