Gay families social fact, not "biological fiction"
5 September 2008
Gay rights advocates have responded angrily to Christian Lobby claims that equal legal recognition of families headed by same-sex couples is a "biological fiction".
Australian Coalition for Equality spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said all Australian children deserve equal legal rights and security regardless of their family make-up.
"Families headed by same-sex couples are a social fact and deserve the same legal rights and protections enjoyed by other families", Mr Croome said.
"Groups like the Australian Christian Lobby want to return us to a time when children were legally and socially penalised if their parents weren't married."
The Australian Christian Lobby yesterday said it is "biological fiction" to treat families headed by same-sex couples the same in law as other families.
The ACL also described children raised in two-mum or two-dad families as a "tragic exception not the desirable rule".
Mr Croome said research confirms children raised by same-sex couples have the same or improved levels of social, emotional, intellectual and sexual adjustment as their peers raised by heterosexual couples.
"It's time for the law to recognise that it's love that makes a family, not gender or sexual orientation."
For a copy of the relevant ACL media release visit http://www.acl.org.au/pdfs/load_pdf_public.pdf?pdf_id=1164=NATIONAL
