For gay and lesbian parents, equality is a myth when it comes to custody cases

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 21 April 2014 | Steven W Thrasher

[Salman]

A protracted child custody battle that allows a judge and a psychologist to determine whether you are friend or foe to your kids is every divorcing parent's nightmare. But for some gay and lesbian parents, that nightmare is a reality – and the deciding factor is too often the very fact of their sexuality.

That fear remains even when the law is supposed to protect gay parents. A friend – a gay dad in Texas – recently told me about his journey after he and his ex-wife had a legal agreement for 50-50 custody of their three children. But when his ex-wife decided to move far away and wanted to give him alternate weekend visits, "which she had no right to do," a lawyer bluntly told my friend:

You're in Texas. She's a straight female ... you're a single gay man ... you have to go on offense, just to keep the 50-50 time you already have with your kids.

He did, and it was extremely costly. But millions of gay and lesbian parents – those living in the 33 states without marriage equality and even those in states with – don't have the economic means to constantly battle the implicit and explicit discrimination they face to prove what social science already knows: that their sexuality shouldn't be a factor in determining their fitness as parents.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

We don’t know the specifics of the case, so we can’t say who was right. However, if there were a custody agreement, or court order on custody in effect; then neither parent could unilaterally decide to change the terms.

The guy had two strikes against him: gay and male. I wonder what the lawyer would have said, if the guy was straight and the mother was a lesbian.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

>> the law is supposed to protect gay parents diseased child molesters. <<

[Hulka]

“For gay and lesbian parents, equality is a myth when it comes to custody cases”

And thank God for that!!

[Morgana]

“The guy had two strikes against him: gay and male”

Which is why these people should not think of their sex lives and think of their children. In the old days people would often “tough it out” till the last child was 18 then divorce. Not today. I’m not for divorce but at least the children back then had mommy and daddy raising them.

[DocJhn]

Cry me a river and GTH!

[Impy]

Father’s rights shouldn’t be violated.

But I have no sympathy for a queer who abandons his family for men’s butts.

[guitarist]

You have to be almost crazy to think that an active homosexual lifestyle is not something from which a child must be protected.

[HiTech RedNeck]

What are you wacky?

Today it’s a must for kids to inquire into whether they might be, ooh lah lah, “gay”!

[Elsie]

what social science already knows: that their sexuality shouldn't be a factor in determining their fitness as parents.

Now THERE is something to bet your eternal soul upon!!

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Genesis 13:13

Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.

Genesis 18:20-21
20. Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21. that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."

Genesis 19:4-7
4. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.
5. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
6. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7. and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.

Psalms 12:8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.

Isaiah 3:9 The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.

2 Peter 2:13b Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.

Ezekiel 16:49-50
49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

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2 Peter 2

1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;
5. if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
6. if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
7. and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men
8. (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--
9. if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
10. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;
11. yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
12. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.

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But there IS hope!!!

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

9. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

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If you could NOT change, you would be in most pitiful shape...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Health Risks of gay sex.

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[Elsie]

They'll 'explain' the bees and the bees.

No; wait.

Our schools do that now...

[Elsie]

We need to keep praying.

Think that'll do any good?

Are you still killing your unborn?

-- GOD

 

[Morpheus2009]

So essentially, they’re whining that they don’t get a perfect 50/50 split in a divorce. Well, perhaps somebody needs to learn how much divorce is a pain, and isn’t fun.

[Pontiac]

You have to be almost crazy to think that an active homosexual lifestyle is not something from which a child must be protected.

Well the 1960’s ushered in the age of insanity and it has been downhill ever since. Try to speak in favor of traditional Christian family values and you will find yourself attacked on every side as a racist, bigoted homophobe, Neanderthal.

Our national culture and values have been under attack for decades and unfortunately the party with which we conservatives have been forced to associate has been reticent and ineffective in defending those values. We will have to drag them with us in to battle kicking and screaming to defend our country against the immoral thugs that are dead set on making this country an amoral cesspool.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

a gay dad in Texas

So is he happy or a sodomite who chose to go be pounded in the butt by other guys then stay with the wife he married and reproduced with?

[Salman]

Nearly every “gay” man has had normal sex somewhere along the line, and quite a few get married (to a woman) and have children the normal way.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I know.

Which leads to my contention that it is a choice.

[Bigg Red]

Of course. Prayer is always good.
And one of the issues I pray for is an end to abortion.

[redpoll]

This is just another version of “they’re racist against blacks because of lopsided incarceration rates” argument.

I’ve hung out around gay people my entire adult life, first while working in the media, then in academia, and I was in community theater for 20 years (stereotypes notwithstanding). My observation is that gay men have higher rates of drug and alcohol abuse than heterosexual men, and the number of sex partners in the gay community has to be seen to be believed. Among gay women, drama is far more intense than it is with heterosexuals (and there’s a lot of serial monogamy). Both gay men and women seem a lot more emotionally fragile and troubled than heterosexuals, and in my experience, it has nothing to do with status or attitude of society.

Having said that, any court looking at child custody should be looking at the actions of the parent dispassionately - and the factors against custody, such as drug use, inappropriate sexual activity, emotional instability, and overall problems are greater on the gay side of the ledger. So, statistically, there will be fewer gay parents having success with custody.

Of course, my argument is based on rational decision-making, not feelings. God help us.

[CityCenter]

Sheesh, men in general have suffered this treatment for decades.

[Elsie]

This is admirable; but what are you DOING about it?