Dear Senator ________,
HB 1267 treats children as trophies to be won/bought by the highest bidder, and has inadequate safeguards for surrogate mothers. It changes mother/father terminology to presume that it does not matter, when scientific studies repeatedly show the importance of both father and mother. See the following conclusion on the American College of Pediatricians' website:
"tradition and science agree that biological ties and dual gender parenting are protective for children. The family environment in which children are reared plays a critical role in forming a secure gender identity, positive emotional well-being, and optimal academic achievement. Decades of social science research documents that children develop optimally when reared by their two biological parents in a low conflict marriage. The limited research advocating childrearing by homosexual parents has severe methodological limitations. There is significant risk of harm inherent in exposing a child to the homosexual lifestyle. Given the current body of evidence, the American College of Pediatricians believes it is inappropriate, potentially hazardous to children, and dangerously irresponsible to change the age-old prohibition on homosexual parenting, whether by adoption, foster care, or reproductive manipulation. This position is rooted in the best available science."
(http://www.acpeds.org/Homosexual-Parenting-Is-It-Time-For-Change.html)
The vast majority of the studies that conclude that same-sex parenting is "no different" than that by opposite sex couples are severely flawed in multiple areas, and this conclusion is simply not valid. I was an expert witness for a court case in Iowa, and my testimony details the inaccurate referencing of the technical report supportive of same-sex parenting published by Pediatrics-over half the references were inaccurately quoted.Unfortunately politics has prevailed over good science even in scientific organizations.
Doctors Wright & Cummings, both leaders in their field of psychology (past presidents of divisions in the American Psychological Association) and admittedly advocates of a progressive social and political agenda, state the following in their book, Destructive Trends in Mental Health:
Doctors Wright & Cummings, both leaders in their field of psychology (past presidents of divisions in the American Psychological Association) and admittedly advocates of a progressive social and political agenda, state the following in their book, Destructive Trends in Mental Health:
"...advocacy for scientific and professional concerns has been usurped by agenda-driven ideologues who show little regard for either scientific validation or professional efficacy. Although I am in agreement with many of APA's stances, I am opposed to the process that has diminished its credibility. It is no longer perceived as an authority that presents scientific evidence and professional facts. The APA has chosen ideology over science, and thus has diminished its influence on the decision makers in our society.
Let no one presume that ideology does not influence science. Within psychology today there are topics that are deemed politically incorrect, and they are neither published nor funded. Journal editors control what is accepted for publication through those chosen to conduct peer reviews. Although it can be argued that journals have the right to determine their areas of primary interest, this can be used to stifle controversy or political incorrectness even when these are important topics for scientific inquiry. Censorship exists...."
"An example of liberal bias affecting research interpretation and its use in advocacy is researchers who advocate that parental sexual orientation should be irrelevant in child custody decisions....much of the extant research that finds no negative effects of gay parenting on children has serious limitations....these limitations are often downplayed by advocates, who also frequently fail to consider fully the potential importance of having both male and female nurturance and role models for children...."
[Wright RH, Cummings NA, editors. Destructive Trends in Mental Health: The Well-Intentioned Path to Harm. New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group; 2005, p.xiv and 308.]
You also may be interested in perusing the website of Dawn Stefanowicz, author of Out From Under: The Impact of Homosexual Parenting, a story about her childhood experience in a home with a father involved in a homosexual lifestyle. She posts letters from other adult children raised in homes with homosexual parent(s), and discusses the harmful effects on development of personal and sexual identity. These children love their parents, and often do not feel they can
speak publicly until their parents are no longer living-as was the case for Dawn. See: http://www.dawnstefanowicz.com.
Sincerely,
speak publicly until their parents are no longer living-as was the case for Dawn. See: http://www.dawnstefanowicz.com.
Sincerely,
