Families come in all forms, like it or not

When reading David E. Smith's comments on gay marriage and the concerns about raising children I could not help but laugh out loud. As the executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, he should have done some research before making comments such as “children do best in stable, healthy homes with both a mom and dad.” He mentioned the “social science [as] clear and irrefutable.” I'd like to share some information that he might find interesting.

Recently, an article was published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior from the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS). This is a study that has been running for 24 years, the longest-running of its kind. The study found that “none of the 78 NLLFS adolescents reports having ever been physically or sexually abused by a parent or other caregiver. This contrasts with 26 percent of American adolescents who report parent or caregiver physical abuse and 8.3 percent who report sexual abuse.”

Let me repeat that. Zero percent abuse. Compare that to a 26 percent abuse rate. Call me crazy, Mr. Smith, but I would call that substantially more clear and irrefutable data that these kids are functioning just fine. Families with children should be about a loving environment and coming together to do what is needed to rear healthy and happy, functioning children. Every parent has the opportunity to be a “good parent” or a “bad parent.” The sexuality of a person has no bearing on whether or not they are inherently a better parent or more fit. The year 2011 is right around the corner, Mr. Smith. It's time for you and the Illinois Family Institute to get with the times. Families come in all forms these days. But they are families, whether you approve of them or not.

Beth Figuray

Woodridge