LIBERALISM AND FAMILY STRUCTURE: Josh Jasper replies to Elizabeth Marquardt and Bill Doherty

In the Newsday article, Elizabeth Marquardt states that she's a liberal, and then goes on to say: "It's one thing to accept all kinds of families as you find them. But when you talk about larger policy goals, and changing the norm, that's not acceptable."

As was the case with Susan Shell's argument, this simply fails the test of a general liberal attitude. The idea that Marquardt's views are liberal isn't true. She may have some liberal views, but this isn't one of them. Liberals don't hold that changing the norm is unacceptable. They do so for valid reasons of social progress. There's little substance behind her article, and much undefined and unproven fear of change.

Later in the article, Bill Doherty suggests that children raised in same-sex marriages will look like stepchildren. I'm not sure why he thinks that. I was raised as a stepchild myself, and I'm fairly sure
it's different from growing up as an adopted child, one borne through a surrogate, or via artificial insemination. The main difference in a child having two parents of the same sex is going to be in growing up with a hostile culture, and probably with the GLBT (gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered) culture as a support for the parents. I don't think that's comparable to having one's parents divorce and re-marry, and I'd be interested in hearing any ideas on why that might be.
posted by Eve at 7:54 PM VOTE

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