2011-01-21, 12:30 PM
Rob Wrote:The only issue I see with this is how kids are raised. Not because gay same sex couples will be bad parents, it's just that society isn't ready for that. Society tends to be super conservative against huge changes.
Gay couples are already raising kids. Society is coping.
The only problem is that while the kid knows both his parents, as do the neighbors, the state only acknowledges one. So
- if the unofficial parent wants to put the kid on their medical insurance, or fly overseas with him, or register him for school, lack of official parenthood status makes it hard to impossible;
- if the parents separate, the kid will probably lose both visitation and child-support from the unofficial parent;
- if the official parent dies, the kid might be sent to live with some blood relative they hardly know, because the law doesn't know their other parent is right there with them;
- if the unofficial parent dies, the kid gets no part of their estate (by default).
Having the gay couple formally registered as married, and as equal parents of their children, is to the children's benefit.