you have previously on here. No, Nate, not because of that. Sorry. I'm not generalizing a party on it, just going off of previous comments I saw on here.
The problem in our society are single parents. I don't give two shits what the sex is of the parents or how many of them there are, just make sure they are living together in a loving home.
When? You mean during the religious debates? LOL man. Just because I said something to the likes of Gay is a sin; doesn't mean I'm against it. Lying is a sin too brother. So do I think we need to kill off all the liars of the world? I clearly pointed out that your sin is between you and God. You will have to answer for the choices you make in life. I also clearly said that I feel like I'm more of a sinner than most gay people I know. When my daughter told me she was gay; she was really nervious telling me. I guess she thought I would fly off the handle. The funny thing was I was extremely calm and said "I love you no matter what. I will disagree with many of your decisions in life, but they are your choices." I also said "If it's what you feel comfortable being, then who am I to take that away from you?" I've made deals with my children. If they choose to drink at parties, then they call me to pick them up at any hour. I want them to be safe and know that their parent loves them no matter what. Everytime I see my daughter; I see her when she was an infant. She is my world and will always be my world; just like my other two children.
I understand that entirely; but my views are my views. And the GOP is the closest thing to my views that can actually make a difference. I refuse to register "Independent" because I still want to vote for the primaries. I think it's important to vote on the canidate to be the leader of this nation.
Back to ABM. First, ABM, there is no such thing as a "gay lifestyle". Any more than there is a "straight lifestyle". You probably define your lifestyle by a lot of things, being American, where you live, what you do for a living, income, your religion if you have one, marital/relationship, children, hobbies and interests, etc. etc. So do gays. I'm sure there are millions of straight folks whose lifestyles are utterly alien to yours - do you have the same lifestyle as Kim Kardashian (God, I hope not!) So using a term like "the gay lifestyle" is, whether you mean it this way or not, an implication that all gay folks are an "other" who are essentially all alike. Like when racists used to talk about "the Negro character". Now, as to your question. There have been numerous studies on children raised by LGBT parents, either single or couples. In indications of child wellness - overall health, how well they do in school, juvenile delinquency, drug/alcohol abuse, early pregnancy, relations with peers, etc. - there have been no differences found when children of LGBT parents are compared to similarly situated children of straight parents. (Obviously, the more educated, better off, stable & loving the parents are, the better off the children are, regardless of orientation.) However studies have found some differences. Not suprisingly, children of LGBT parents are more tolerant of LGBT people generally. They are also less likely to favor rigid gender roles; after all, a child with two moms or two dads see a father cook and do laundry and a mother change the car oil. They are, however, no more likely to be LGBT than children of straight parents. However, those who are LGBT have an easier time accepting themselves. As for how it would affect their own dating/romantic relationships, I imagine they'd be more likely to look for a relationship with an accepting kid. Yes, if a child of an LGBT parent(s) fell in love with a person who was extremely prejudiced or whose family was extremely prejudiced it would cause problems but so would the child of a Jewish family falling for an evangelical Christian, a liberal falling for a conservative, an African-American falling for a white kid from a prejudiced family. So maybe we should all just get along?
Anything that's perceived as different than average/normal and that people react to is going to shape a childhood negatively and positively. Whether it's your appearance, your race, your weight, your intelligence, your parents, your spiritual beliefs, your physical abilities, your income class, and so on. This little girl already has been and will continue to be affected by having two dads but to me she sounds like a very well adjusted kid who speak her mind with compassion. I think she's turning out just fine. And sure, it may affect dating, but it's a big world with plenty of great people to interact with. If someone judges her for something she has no control over she's not "losing out" in catching Mr Right. She finding out he wasn't worth catching in the first place.
Anyone with the heart and desire and commitment to be a parent has my unflinching support. UNICEF estimates the number of orphans at 210 million in the world today. 86 million orphans in India 44 million orphans in Africa by 2010 10 million orphans in Mexico 35,000 children die everyday from hunger and malnutrition. As a new century unfolds, orphan children living in developing countries struggle to survive without the support and protection of parents or the love of a family environment. These numbers include those who are internally displaced or refugees from conflict or natural disasters, conscripted as child soldiers, live on the streets, or have lost one or both parents to the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Within ten years there will be a staggering 44 million orphans in Africa from the HIV/AIDS virus. The youth of today have never known life without the epidemic. http://www.mission1m.org/about_the_need.html
Interesting. First of all, thanks for your responses. I really appreciated those. My family's dynamic (both, nuclear and extended) is interesting and somewhat diverse. First of all, I was brought up in sort of what you might call a "traditional" fashion. My Dad was a minister, and my mom was stay-at-home. I have two older sisters....I'm the baby (as if you couldn't tell already. )....and, almost like an only child, too, as my sisters are 9 and 11 years older than me. My oldest sister got married when she was in her mid-20's, had two children (a boy and a girl), and ended up getting a divorce after about 10 years. Her husband was verbally abusive. Soon after that time, she entered into a gay "lifestyle" (her words) and her and her gal raised the kids. From what I've been told, it was a pretty crappy experience for the kids.....certainly, partially due to the culture surrounding them (LOTS of jokes/abuse from their peers as well as their folks, etc.). Interestingly, she became a born again Christian, then totally rejected that lifestyle and has never gone back to it. That was probably about 25 years ago. She claims that she "fell" into the relationship with this somewhat cunning, manipulative, and evidently controlling (and 100% absolutely gay) woman. She felt she was taken advantage of (specifically, relating from the fallout/shame of her struggling marriage)...and also suffered some control issues as it related to the kids. Apparently, the other woman wanted to "adopt" the kids, then seemingly buy their love by paying for their respective college tuition, etc. It was a mess. The kids were torn because (a) they definitely wanted to go to college, yet (b) resented the idea that they were being bought.....for a price (returned "love"). They ended up getting through it, though....the other woman ended up backing off and they have not spoken to her since that time. Anyway, it was all pretty intriguing to me. My oldest sister has lived alone ever since....would love to find the right man, but has pretty much become resolute in serving others (medical, missions, local charities) in her retirement. She's a strong Conservative....and votes that way. OTOH, my middle sister has been divorced, just recently got married again (great guy), is a super-Liberal...and I mean SUPER-Liberal....totally supports gay marriage, abortion, peace, love, and happiness....the whole deal. She's a hoot! Even though we don't share the same values, I'm pretty close to her and it's all good. Oh, but back to my oldest sister: Her two kids are the greatest! Her daughter (the oldest) lives in Park City, UT with her millionaire husband. He's Conservative (although, he just voted for Obama over "social" - as opposed to economic - matters), she's a super-Liberal (same fabric, big-time, as my middle sis), they have four beautiful kids (teen on down to four years), and are an awesome family! My oldest sister's son is happily married, as well. They have two lovely (pre-teen) daughters. He's a SUPER-Conservative, so you can only imagine the "engaging" discussions they all have during the holidays and summertime...oh, and on Facebook! Anyway, I could probably type out a bunch more. I suppose the thing I wanted to share was that my oldest sister still calls her gay experience a "lifestyle"...one that she now clearly and totally rejects. Kinda wild, actually.
ABM- there's no such thing as "the gay lifestyle" and the only thing that is growing is people feeling safe and comfortable enough to come out about who they are and live without shame or fear. This is a good thing, especially for gay youth who've been killing themselves over who they are. Hopefully, a pro-gay President we'll help them realize there is nothing wrong with them.
She's confused. Yes, there are gay people who hate themselves. I'm gay whether or not I live with or have sex with a man. I was gay when I was a kid growing up. I'd still be gay if I divorced my husband. There is no such thing as a "gay lifestyle."
She thinks that being gay is a lifestyle, which it's not. It's something that you are. A gay person can live any lifestyle that they want. If she is gay but has decided to reject who she is as a past "lifestyle," she is not being true to who she IS. If she is straight and was just confused about that, it's wrong of her to toss off gays and just being people who choose a "lifestyle." Either way, she is confused.
The gay "lifestyle" she describes is just her experience in a bad relationship. It has nothing do do with the fact that it was a gay one. A straight relationship could have been just as destructive and manipulating. Calling it 'gay lifestyle' implies that all gay relationships are like this, which isn't true. Obviously her first marriage wasn't great. Does she describe that as the 'straight lifestyle'? Maybe she is gay, but convinced/manipulated into thinking she is straight. Maybe she is straight and convinced/manipulated by this woman into thinking she was gay. Maybe it's more blurred than that. But regardless of how she identifies/truly feels, what she had was just a bad relationship and not some sort of 'gay lifestyle'.
You talk as though being gay is like being Black or any other nationality. It maybe genetic; but it isn't a generalized "Self" like you mentioned. Looking around my area and through my gay friends; there is clearly a lifestyle. They tend to migrate in specific communities and tend to share a lot of the same values. There are differences, but it would be more like the difference between a republican to a democrat. So it's a choice IMO, and I'm fine with that choice. Just like one chooses to be a republican because it is the best choice for the generalized views.
OK, I get that, guys (crandy and KS, as well.) I'm wondering if she calls it that because that's what they referred to as 25 years ago? In that same way, my grandfather called ALL Black people "n-i-g-g-e-r-s", because that's all he was ever used to calling them(?) Anyway, I feel ya, folks.
You are wrong. It's not a choice and do not make an opinion about all gays based on a few gay friends you know. That's like acting like your black friends are how all black people are. It's thoroughly offensive. There is no clear lifestyle. My lifestyle is very unique. I live with my husband in a small studio in NYC. I don know any other gay people (or straight people for that matter) who live in as small a room as we live in. Most people would kill each other, but for some reason it works for us. We hardly ever go to bars and we never go to clubs. We watch lots of TV and we eat out or order in for all our meals while many other gay people probably cook their own food. In January, we are moving into a suite in a mansion in Bell Canyon for three months for pilot season. I don't know any other gay people choosing to live in LA this way and there are no other gay people living in the mansion. We live "Bones" residual check to "Bones" residual check. Sometimes, I make money by signing autographs. I personal don't know any other gay people living this way. I'm also a huge NBA fan who watches every Blazer game. I don't know any other gay person who lives like this. I'm the only gay person I know who plays NBA2K12. I sit courtside at Blazers games even though I can't afford it. I don't know any other gay people who do this. So NO, we're NOT all the same and it's NOT a choice.
