I have two fathers 同性恋的现世报

"I have two Dads. They wash my clothes, they make me breakfast. They are also my Mums. If people ask me why I have two Dads, I just shrug These are the words of a new childrens song from Holland. Children are a timeless subject and a challenge that can take over your entire life. They laugh and cry, and piss and crap just like us, except they cant control it. They can rob us of the time to have a drink, and even stop us caring about our appearances. They can make us cry, and make us painfully aware that were already over the hill. But none of this stops even the most youthful and flamboyant of gays longing for a child. There are many ways to do it: have one yourself, have someone else have one for you, adopt one, have one for someone else, get one at a sperm bank, ask a friend to lend a hand, and so on gays can even turn having a kid into a variety show. But ultimately everyone seems happy for a little karmic retribution for their wild days. QAFBeijing has invited two gay couples, one who want to have a child, and another who are preparing for imminent fatherhood, onto the show. All comrades considering children listen well, dont be too hasty. Dont make any decisions until youve seen this episode"

[Link: Original Video]
[Link: Queer as Folk Beijing]

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The Age - "Gay couples use kids as trophies: ACL" by Stephanie Gardiner

A Christian group has told a NSW parliamentary inquiry gay people are using children for symbolic gains in pursuing their right to adopt.

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) told the Standing Committee of Law and Justice's inquiry into adoption by same sex couples that children should ideally be raised by a mother and father.

The parliamentary inquiry follows a request from Community Services Minister Linda Burney to look at altering the NSW Adoption Act to allow same-sex couples to adopt.

Under NSW law, a single gay person can adopt a child but their partner is not legally recognised as a parent.

The lobby's submission, which was scrutinised by committee members from all sides of politics, said a homosexual relationship did not provide a stable environment for a child.

"Research shows that the most stable relationship is a married heterosexual relationship and that's where there is the least promiscuity," ACL spokesman Lyle Shelton told the inquiry.

The move to legalise adoption by same-sex couples was ideologically driven by gay activists, Mr Shelton said.

"Not content with having discrimination removed, (they) are now pursuing symbolic gains and holding up children as trophies for their own agenda," he said.

Labor MP Amanda Fazio challenged the group's views on homosexual promiscuity, saying one quarter of children to married couples are not fathered by the husband.

"If you're going to use promiscuity as a basis for denying people the right to adoption, then how are you going to apply that across the board ... to the heterosexual community?" Ms Fazio asked.

"It seems to me that's just an attempt to smear gay men in their attempts to gain the right to adopt."

Liberal MP John Ajaka also questioned the group's stance on protecting the nuclear family.

"Not all children today are raised by a mother or father. Many are raised ... by one parent only. Many are raised by a grandmother and a grandfather," Mr Ajaka said.

"You've got children who have been adopted by a single person and that person may be gay or lesbian.

"How can you put that together with your concept that the normal family is a man and a woman in a loving relationship when that really does not exist today."

[Link: Original Article]

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ABC Online - "Children's charity supports same sex adoptions"

A NSW parliamentary inquiry is investigating whether to extend adoption rights to same sex couples

A NSW parliamentary inquiry is investigating whether to extend adoption rights to same sex couples (AAP: Sam Mooy)

A major children's welfare service in New South Wales says it would support changes to the law to allow same sex couples to adopt children.

The chief executive of Barnardos, Louise Voight, has appeared before a parliamentary inquiry which is examining whether there needs to be changes to the Adoption Act.

The charity deals with abused children, and encourages its foster carers to think about adoption.

Ms Voight says eight per cent of its carers are same sex couples, and she has seen no research to suggest they would not make good adoptive parents.

"Outcome research that has been done, that i am aware of, where in fact they have looked at what the effects upon children are, have not shown detrimental effects," she said.

However, Jane West, who is in charge of adoptions at Anglicare, has told the inquiry that the current rules should not be changed.

She says ideally the child should be placed in a situation that promotes their emotional and social development.

"Same sex adoptive parenting is outside the norm, and adopted children already struggle with feelings of difference," she said.

"In Anglicare's view, it is important to avoid imposing more than the necessary adjustments on them."

[Link: Original Article]

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Live News - "Gay adoption hits international hitch" by Kelly Fedor

There are claims Australia's adoption agreement with other countries could collapse if New South Wales legalises gay adoption.

An upper house inquiry is looking at whether our current laws, which prevent same-sex couples from adopting children, needs to be overhauled.

DOCS legal services director Rod Best says the agency wouldn't put the names of same-sex couples forward if the laws were changed.

“In terms of adoption of a child internationally, one of the criteria that you take into account are the wishes of the country that the child is being adopted from,” Mr Best said.

“Of all of the countries that New South Wales, and Australia, currently have arrangements with, none of them agree to same-sex couples adopting.”

[Link: Original Article]

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Sydney Star Observer - "Love makes a family, but what makes a dad?"

Slowly but surely the stereotypes of gay life are dissolving around us and being replaced with the same modern issues confronted by everyone else.

Renovating the house, planning that special holiday, preparing for a new addition to the family. No, not a puppy or a cat but a child, or even several children.

These days we are faced more and more with members of the GLBT community settling down, living in suburbia and wanting to do as many other suburban couples do — raise a family. This is getting easier than it was — and more commonplace than you think. Gay dads are everywhere — you probably even know one or two.

Now as we all know, Love makes a family, but what makes a Dad? Any sperm donor can be a biological father but being a “dad” takes something more.

There are co-parent dads who share the day-to-day care and raising of their child(ren) with their child’s mum or mums, committed to working together to see their child become an adult.

Some are single men and others are couples, some of the mums are lesbian, others not. Some have gone for IVF and others just the good old turkey baster. It covers the full spectrum.

There are surrogate dads who have gone though thousands of dollars, lots of forms and tests and travelled to other parts of the world to have a woman bear their child (usually from an unknown egg donor), who are raising their children by themselves or with their partners, with the support of those around them.

Fostering is another way some gay men become dads, sometimes part-time, sometimes for a long time.

Hopefully soon in NSW we can add adoption as a couple to the list. It’s certainly permitted elsewhere and single men can currently adopt.

Of course there are also the same-sex attracted men who either are or were once married and who have had children “the old-fashioned way”. While they face challenges in coming out to the family and discovering and accepting their sexuality, they too are active dads who love and care for their children.

GayDadsNSW group is a social network and support group for gay men who are or want to become dads.

Not just sperm donors but dads, with all the dirty nappies, sleepless nights and unconditional love that comes with raising a child in a loving, supportive, safe environment.

The group meets for an informal dinner on the first Monday of the month at the Bank Hotel in Newtown.

We also regularly hold information nights where people can come and hear experiences, ask questions and learn more about being a dad.

If you would like to know more about gay dads in Australia you can go to www.gaydadsaustralia.com.

info:“LOVE makes a Family, but what makes a DAD?”
Date: Monday 23 February
Venue: Twenty10 offices, 43 Bedford St, Newtown
Time: 7pm
There will be a number of speakers on different aspects of parenting and time to ask questions.
Please RSVP to GaydadsNSW-owner@yahoogroups.com so we know how many people to expect.
For additional information please contact Anthony Brien on 0405 147 968 or at ajbrien@gmail.com

[Link: Original Article]

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Australian Gay and Lesbian Law Blog - "Same Sex Couples Need Not Apply" by Stephen Page

Stephen Page reports on the Australian Gay & Lesbian Law Blog:

The Queensland Government has introduced today the Adoption Bill into the Queensland Parliament, to replace the antiquated Adoption of Children Act 1964. The Minister responsible, Margaret Keech, said about the Bill:

* it was "delivering fair laws to those people affected by adoption"
* it reflected "contemporary community standards"
* "Eligibility to lodge expressions of interest to adopt will be extended from married couples to de facto couples who have been in a relationship for at least two years."
* was "in line with the Bligh government's vision for a fairer Queensland"
* by now requiring adoption orders to be made by a court, "provides for this and brings Queensland into line with every other Australian jurisdiction".
* "The current objective is to identify the best possible prospective adoptive families to meet the needs of the small number of children who require adoptive parents."
* "Finally, in line with the Bligh Government's vision for a fairer Queensland,I am proud this Bill is a very progressive piece of new legislation which will bring Queensland's adoption practice in line with international best practice." (emphasis added)

The Bill will remove the discrimination that exists in the 1964 Act against heterosexual de facto couples, but not against same sex couples.

Just so that it is clear, the Bill is expressed to override the Anti-Discrimination Act. The only obvious reason for this is so that same sex couples can be discriminated against.
This approach is different to that in places such as Western Australia and the ACT where same sex couples can adopt.

For the full speech by the Minister, click here[PDF] .
For the Bill, click here.

[Link: Original Article]

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