Approach to Gay and Lesbian adoption
The Bligh government stands condemned for its confused and confusing approach to the issue of same sex surrogacy as opposed to adoption by same sex couples.
It is apparently said that gay and lesbian couples should not be able to adopt due to the small number of children available for adoption. But there are also only a limited number of hospital beds and no one would suggest sexual preference as a basis for excluding people from them.
By proposing to legislate for same sex surrogacy the Bligh government must be taken to accept what the evidence clearly establishes: that sexual orientation and gender have no effect on children raised by same-sex couples, and same-sex couples can raise children as well as heterosexual couples. And further more that most scientific research has rejected the idea that children need opposite-sex parents or biological parents to grow into well-adjusted adults.
Tradition by itself cannot stand in the way of the demand for equal protection before the law. If it could slavery would persist, aristocrats would still run our governments and women would not be voting.
It has been clearly shown gay and lesbian parents are as effective as heterosexual parents in raising children and children are not harmed when raised by same-sex couples.
It is the Council's view that gay and lesbian couples in loving relationships should be given the same status as heterosexual couples in such relationships. Official recognition of their status will provide a legal basis for defining their rights and responsibilities which will benefit society.
Mr Cope , President of the Council says, “The Bligh government should, as the Rudd government did, undertake a complete review of its statute books and remove any remaining discrimination on the basis of sexual preference or that people are in a same sex relationship.”
The Council also calls upon the government, since the Rudd Government will not act on gay marriage, to introduce civil partnerships for same sex couples. We accept that constitutionally the state government probably cannot introduce gay marriage but it can go a long way to giving same sex relationships the sort of status they deserve.
For further information contact Michael Cope President QCCL on 07 3223 5939 during office hours and on 0432 847 154