Question for Warwick.

What do you suggest should be done to heterosexual fathers whose children turn out to be gay?

Judging from your low opinion of gays, and presumably lesbians, straight parents who raise homosexual children should be held accountable shouldn't they? That's where it all starts, straights bringing gays into the world, how you gonna deal with that?

Hmmmm?

Ha ha, that's wonderful, Johnny Rotten! Really love that question.

Come on, Warwick and supporters. Answer it, if you've got the courage.

All these "I was brought up in this or that sort of household" arguments are really beside the point. What we are doing here is setting legislation. Legislation should be aimed at creating the best possible realisable framework. There is study after study showing that the best situation for children is biological mum and biological dad, then next best thing a mum & a dad. This is what we should be aiming for. Single parenting is difficult, and undeniably not the best for children - gay relationships are shown (repeatedly and undeniably) to be plagued by short term relationships, and particularly in the case of homosexual men, there can be a parade of (questionable) partners throughout a house and this has led to a significantly higher instance of child abuse in such situations (though the mainstream media doesn't print it). Now we all know that the greatest abusers of children are known to the child (relatives, friends of relatives) and hetero or homosexual situation both have shocking situations to their account, but why would we want to increase the chances (namely, gay men) of child abuse.

he No.1 criteria (and really, the only criteria) for legislation for parenting children should be what's best for children. It's not as if there is a dearth of people wanting to adopt children - this is not solving a need, just selfish ambition for gays. Yes there are a few people out there that would like to adopt their children who are gays whom have fostered children, but why create a law just for this minority group when the potential downside for so many children can be huge.

Disclaimer: there are studies promoted by the LGBT community & funded by gay organisations, which promote lesbian parenting but the studies are significantly in the minority and dubious at best in their objectivity.

Fatherlessness is a real issue. Biological parents is the key and we should be spending less time on creating unreal situations for children and more time and money helping biological parents fulfil their duties toward their children.

gpenglase, No you are missing the point. Just because a man and woman are married does not neccessary make them good parents. Back in the dark ages when children of an unmarried mother was called a bastard. It was community prejudice that cause the trouble, not the the single mother. Today it is the same commmunity attitudes that cause the problem, not the type of family a child lives in. What is important is that the child is with people who love and cherish it.

Warwick Marsh is to be congratulated for sharing the real lived experiences of men who expressed their feelings of desertion and pain in being left alone, being fatherless. The men are still profoundly affected and wounded in adulthood in recounting their childhood without their dads being present and available to them.
Fact: The same-sex adoption bill passed by the NSW lower house of parliament would enshrine fatherlessness into law. The main same-sex adoption argument promoted by independent MP Clover Moore was that social good would come from allowing re-partnered parents to have their same-sex partner's parenting role recognised in law. However the adoption bill is not so narrowly selective. It actually allows any same sex couple to adopt potentially any child. This means that the bill, should it become law next week, would allow children to be raised in same-sex homes without either a mother or a father being present for their balanced socialisation and development. This law would not preference the mum-dad model of parenting; in fact it effaces the traditional model.
Well meaning persons in charge of adoption agencies who intrinsically know the truth that children’s best interest is to have a mother and father, would not be able to discriminate positively to ensure children are placed in homes with their adoptive mum and dad. Most parents know implicitly from every day experience that the masculine and feminine bring uniquely different and rich benefits to their children's development.
The NSW adoption Bill harms the meaning of marriage and the two parent family model comprised of a mother and father. It allows children to be raised in a fatherless home and even a motherless home too. All the Labor and opposition MPs who voted in favour of this should reflect deeply about what they have done in law to erode protection of children and protection of the natural family. The NSW upper house should bring the Bill to a grinding halt and uphold children’s inalienable right to a mother and a father.

"Legislation should be aimed at creating the best possible realisable framework. " That meets the needs of the child, not the prejudices fo the leglistators and community.