Dr. Margaret Somerville
With Pride Week just behind us, the question of same-sex marriages once again has been brought to the forefront of some political discussions. I don’t have a problem with homosexuality — you can’t choose your sexual orientation, or who you fall in love with, and it’s none of my business anyway.
Dr. Margaret Somerville, a noted McGill University ethicist however, is opposed to gay marriage. But not simply on the basis of whether two adults should have a right to enter into the legal commitment, reaping the benefits (if any) and accepting the responsibilities therein.
When it comes to marriage, if you’re in love and wish to share your life with someone, and wish to make it legal, then I say why not?
But what I wonder about is when two people of the same sex choose to start a family. Before you get all up in arms, I’m not saying I’m against it. Dr. Somerville thinks that having same-sex parents isn’t all that great for kids. I just hope that people who have the courage to create new style families also have the wisdom to bring in what’s missing for these children.
A little girl raised by two lesbians will never be “Daddy’s little girl,” and a little boy raised by two gay men will never know that special bond between mother and son. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
However, we do know the importance of opposite sex influences on people’s lives, especially young children. Boys need a strong, guiding male influence in their lives to help them keep their testosterone in check, to help them understand how to balance their physical strength with their inner vulnerabilities, and to help them grow into men, gay or straight.
And how can any little girl grow up without a mother? Well, many do. But they have some type of maternal nurturing, be it from an aunt, a grandmother, or close family friend.
Like I said, I believe in love. And a heterosexual couple doesn’t necessarily mean a loving home. Same-sex couples can no doubt give a child a wholesome and cherished upbringing.
But who’s going to explain that, although our society has made leaps and bounds of progress in accepting and understanding different types of love, Mother Nature hasn’t changed?
It still takes one sperm and one egg to fertilize in order to create a baby. And that egg comes from a woman, that sperm from a man, no matter their sexual orientation.
Like Dr. Somerville, I believe in freedom of speech, and am grateful that I can say what I honestly think. It’s a shame that others think she is homophobic and full of hatred when she tries to do her job, which is thinking about the long-term effects and requirements of our brave new world.
