News Briefs 12/29/2008
Research links poor health of LGB youth to family rejection, The Advocate.
[State Representative Jim] Splaine pushes for gay marriage in N.H. House, Seacoast Online, Karen Dandurant.
Judge: 2 adoptive dads belong on birth certificate [in Louisiana], The Associated Press, Janet McConnaughey.
Op-Ed: You’re likable enough, gay people, The New York Times, Frank Rich. A critical but considered piece on Warren’s inclusion in Obama’s inauguration. His piece hints at something I believe about the situation: Obama can invite Warren without endorsing or sharing Warren’s views, but he can’t invite Warren without in some way legitimizing them. I understand wanting to engage with people with whom we don’t agree, but there’s a line where wrong is just wrong.
Excerpts from the above headlines follow:
Research links poor health of LGB youth to family rejection
Researchers have established a correlation between the health of lesbian, gay and bisexual adolescents and how their families react to them coming out.
“For the first time, research has established a predictive link between specific, negative family reactions to their child’s sexual orientation and serious health problems for these adolescents in young adulthood—such as depression, illegal drug use, risk for HIV infection, and suicide attempts,” said Dr. Caitlin Ryan, Director of the Family Acceptance Project at the César E. Chávez Institute at San Francisco State University and lead author of the research.
[State Representative Jim] Splaine pushes for gay marriage in N.H. House
When legislators meet in 2009, there will be several bills to consider that deal with civil unions and gay marriage.
Judge: 2 adoptive dads belong on birth certificate [in Louisiana]
A same-sex couple in California has won a federal court ruling that their adopted son’s Louisiana birth certificate must bear the names of both adoptive fathers.
The facts are so clear that no trial is needed, U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey wrote.
Op-Ed: You’re likable enough, gay people
When Obama defends Warren’s words by calling them an example of the “wide range of viewpoints” in a “diverse and noisy and opinionated” America, he is being too cute by half. He knows full well that a “viewpoint” defaming any minority group by linking it to sexual crimes like pedophilia is unacceptable.
