Homosexuals. The very word strikes a chord of emotion even when mentioned in passing. Some will recall in their minds friends or family members who are in solid same-sex relationships. Others will balk and declare how such people are either immoral or at best, amoral. Sadly, the negative reactions drown out those who quietly support those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Amidst the firestorm surrounding the alleged sexuality of SpongeBob SquarePants, the culture war over gay and lesbian equality continues unchecked.
The latest salvo was released last week when State Sen. Diane Black (R-Gallatin) filed a bill (SB 829) to specifically ban adoptions by homosexuals. A companion bill (HB 543) was filed by State Rep. Dewayne Bunch (R-Cleveland) in the state House. The bill also explicitly describes a "homosexual" as one who willfully engages in sex acts with someone of the same gender.
There are several problems with this bill. The first is the abject rejection of consistent professional understanding of the definition of homosexuality. It wrongly defines a homosexual according to his or her behavior rather than by sexual orientation. Its language assumes that adults who engage in consensual sexual acts with another adult of the same gender have a mental or sexual disorder, thus they are unfit to be parents.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The American Psychiatric Association along with over a dozen other health and mental health organizations, has a clear understanding that homosexuality is neither a disorder to be treated nor a disease to be cured. These organizations include the American Bar Association, the American Medical Association and the National Association of Social Workers.
Another of these professional groups, the American Psychological Association, has gone on record regarding gay and lesbian parents: "Studies comparing groups of children raised by homosexual and by heterosexual parents find no developmental differences between the two groups of children in their intelligence, psychological adjustment, social adjustment, popularity with friends, development of social sex role identity or development of sexual orientation..." This statement and others are readily available on their website at www.apa.org/pubinfo/answers.html.
It is absolutely critical that the Tennessee public becomes educated on the true nature of sexuality and sexual orientation. This is the only way that we can defeat Senate Bill 829 and other similarly discriminatory laws. Thousands of children are awaiting adoption across the state, and State Sen. Black wants to keep them from going into stable homes simply because she and some of her colleagues want to ride the current anti-gay wave that is sweeping the political arena.
President Bush fanned these anti-gay flames when he said recently regarding gay adoptions, "...studies have shown that the ideal is where a child is raised in a married family with a man and a woman." Oddly, he didn't name the studies or disclose that they were only in reference to married versus single heterosexual parents. Such distortions are not uncommon. However, the studies regarding same-sex parents and gay adoptions run the gamut of media outlets.
Pro-gay advocate group PFLAG (Parents, Friends & Families of Lesbians and Gays) says very clearly on their website, "In contrast to the claims of conservative groups, many important child welfare organization including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Child Welfare League of America, and the North American Council on Adoptable Children support the right of GLBT persons to adopt and/or be a foster parent."
It's time for lawmakers and our national leaders to stop pandering to bigotry and ignorance and act as the leaders they were elected to be. Further, I call upon fair-minded registered voters to write their state representatives and senators and reject this bill as the hateful discrimination it is.
David W. Shelton lives in Clarksville.
Originally published February 13, 2005
Editor's Note: The anti-gay adoption bill died in committee later in the Spring. Thanks to everyone who contacted their representatives to put an end to this kind of discriminatory legislation!