I think it is absolutely disgusting that Joe Hockey can be on national television (on Q&A, ABCTV) and say in front of Finance Minister, Penny Wong who is in a same-sex marriage and rearing a child, that having gay parents is not the best outcome for a child. For starters, having heterosexual parents doesn't guarantee you love, or a happy childhood, and secondly, the definition of nurturing is not confined to any particular gender, so on what does Hocking base his opinion about parenting? Could the fact that Hockey, who knows that we live in a society in which so much prejudice is directed towards gay people, be part of the reason why he believes that being reared by same-sex parents will result in an un-favourable outcome? If he thinks that children need male and female role-models as they are growing up, why doesn't he just say so. I think it is because he knows that you don't have to have heterosexual parents in order to be exposed to ideal and not so ideal qualities of both genders, so this kind of logic just doesn't wash! Is he relying on that old idea that if you are raised by gay parents you will become gay yourself? How then is it that heterosexual couples produce gay children? Again, no logic in this way of thinking. There is documented evidence that of those surveyed in a Women’s Safety Australia study, 23% of women who had ever been married or in a de-facto
relationship, experienced violence by a partner at some time during the
relationship (ABS 1996, p. 50) and that, 42% of women who had been in a previous relationship reported violence by a previous partner (ABS 1996, p. 51). So much for heterosexual partnership bliss (I think not)! What of the psychological impact on the child or children of parents who abuse each other? And what of child abuse and neglect? According to the Australian government 'The most recent national figures from the AIHW indicate that in
Australia, during 2009-10, there were 286,437 reports of suspected child
abuse and neglect made to state and territory authorities' including child death. So, Mr Hockey, please tell us about 'best outcomes' for many children based on these statistics!
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I personally think in the light of many Sociologists and Child Psychologists saying for years that a family with a mother and a father is in the best interests of a child, you can be 'disgusted' with a man simply stating backed up truth. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, none is more or less 'disgusting' than the other on this. I think Joe handled this obviously planned ambush (as evidenced by Wong's knowing wink/smile and nod to the questioner) with dignity and stated his case well. All the very best of independent research show cases of juvenile crime, for example, are higher in youths with an absent father. Call it disgusting all you want, because the evidence conflicts with your preconceived view, but it IS WHAT IT IS. Facts aren't disgusting, they just *are*. Joe showed admiral clas, poise and dignity. I find the narrow-minded and ill-formed arrogance of those such as you and your ilk, to be truly disgusting.
ReplyDeleteHelen
Dear Helen,
ReplyDeleteI gather, based on your comment that you think that presence of a father is necessary to reduce ‘juvenile crime’ and may I assume that this is more important to you than the statistics I provided about violence upon women (and children) inflicted in many heterosexual marriages? I think you missed my basic point, which was, I thought it inappropriate and insulting that Hockey made his comments in front of Penny Wong.
Even though you stated that ‘everyone is entitled to their opinion’ you decided to make a personal attack upon me. I don’t know why people have to make personal attacks on those who write blogs. I am constantly surprised at the amount of female Misogyny in our culture.