PhoboQuotable - Tony Perkins

"CNN gave homosexual activists the gift of a free hour-long infomercial last night--in the form of a primetime special about homosexual parents called Gary and Tony Have a Baby. Actually, it should have been called Gary and Tony Buy a Baby. As viewers learned, the two homosexual men first purchase human eggs from an egg donor; use the sperm of one of them for in vitro fertilization; and finally rent the womb of a surrogate to bear the baby. The total cost runs a cool $160,000. The closest that host Soledad O'Brien came to raising an ethical question was to ask why the couple didn't adopt instead. Not once did they explain why the process involved 14 eggs and two embryos--but only one baby.

"It was obvious throughout the that these men are political activists for the homosexual cause (even using the newborn as a prop at a same-sex 'marriage' rally). Meanwhile, the only reference to people who oppose same-sex 'marriage' (which, incidentally, is at least 70 percent of the American population), was to express fear that one of them would physically harm the baby. Equally tragic, one of the men said that no one has ever given him a reason why their lifestyle choice is harmful. Here's one--they are deliberately and permanently depriving this child of a mother. CNN seems content to tug at the heartstrings rather than report the news. They imply that the "love" or affection that these men feel for each other and for the baby that they've manufactured is enough. Love is important, but it isn't sufficient. Social science proves that children suffer from not having a married mom and dad, so why is CNN promoting two people who would deliberately put their baby in that situation?" - Family Research Council douchenozzle Tony Perkins.

Tomorrow At 8PM: CNN's Gary & Tony Have A Baby

Last week Father Tony and I attended a preview screening of CNN's gay parenting documentary Gary & Tony Have A Baby, which follows New Yorkers Gary Spino and Tony Brown from finding an egg donor, to hiring a surrogate mother, to the eventual birth of their son. The couple's journey is expensive and trying, but ultimately quite sweet, even if it's a route that few gay couples could ever afford.

The film is part of CNN's Gay In America series and last week's screening was co-hosted by CNN reporter (and the documentary's narrator), Soledad O'Brien, as well as GLAAD executive director Jarrett Barrios. I have to give CNN big props for tackling this project, which involved filming in multiple states over more than a year. In addition to the big PR push for tomorrow's night's showing at 8PM, they've created an teacher's guide for high schools and colleges.

GLAAD's Jarrett Barrios, who has two adoptive sons of his own, stressed to me that while the vast majority of gay couples use other methods to create their families, Gary & Tony Have A Baby is nevertheless a very positive look at a gay parenthood. The trailer is here and below are just a few photos I took at the screening.

President Obama Mentions Gay Dads In Father's Day Proclamation

As he did for gay moms in his Mother's Day message, President Obama mentions gay dads in his Father's Day proclamation. An excerpt:

Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a step father, a grandfather, or caring guardian. We owe a special debt of gratitude for those parents serving in the United States Armed Forces and their families, whose sacrifices protect the lives and liberties of all American children. For the character they build, the doors they open, and the love they provide over our lifetimes, all our fathers deserve our unending appreciation and admiration.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, in accordance with a joint resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, as amended (36 U.S.C. 109), do hereby proclaim June 20, 2010, as Father's Day. I direct the appropriate officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on this day, and I call upon all citizens to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. Let us honor our fathers, living and deceased, with all the love and gratitude they deserve.

Father's Day is tomorrow.

PhoboQuotable - Wendy Wright

"That proves the prejudice and bias of the study. This study was clearly designed to come out with one outcome -- to attempt to sway people that children are not detrimentally affected in a homosexual household. You have to be a little suspicious of any study that says children being raised by same-sex couples do better or have superior outcomes to children raised with a mother and father. It just defies common sense and reality." - Concerned Women for America head Wendy Wright, complaining that a gay parenting study was funded by gay advocacy groups.

The study, which was released yesterday, claims that lesbian parents tend to turn out children with fewer behavioral problems.

NEW STUDY: Lesbians Raise Better Kids

According to a just published 20 year study, lesbians tend to be fantastic parents. But you knew that.

When compared to teens of the same age, adolescents raised by lesbian parents are doing just fine socially, psychologically and academically, new research finds. Not only that, they have fewer social problems, and less aggressive and rule-breaking behaviors than other teens. The nearly 20-year study has followed 78 teens since their lesbian mothers were planning their pregnancies, and concluded that these children "demonstrate healthy psychological adjustment." These findings stand in contrast to what some vocal opponents of gay or lesbian parents might have expected.

"One of the things that opponents of the equalities of gays and lesbians -- in marriage, parenting, adoption and foster care -- often bring up is the so-called gold standard of parenting, which defined by them is the traditional family where children are conceived in traditional ways and not through insemination or surrogates. But, when we compared the adolescents in our study to the so-called gold standard, we found the teens with lesbian mothers were actually doing better," said study author Dr. Nanette Gartrell, the Williams Distinguished Scholar at the University of California Los Angeles School of Law.

The study's authors say they expect that a study of gay male parents would yield similar results.

The Gayken On The View

Clay Aiken appeared on The View yesterday to talk about why he came out when he did and about being a new dad. This clip concludes with Aiken's performance of Unchained Melody, which is from his new album, Tried & True.

People en Español Features Gay Dad Ricky Martin On Father's Day Issue

Via Andres Duque at Blabbeando, who says: "How great is it that the editors of one of the most widely read Spanish-language magazines in the United States would deem it fit to honor Ricky Martin and his parenting as an openly gay man and, in doing so, highlight gay parenting in general? Appropriately, I also happened to come upon this story today on what a number of bloggers are celebrating as the 5th Annual Blogging for LGBT Families Day." Duque notes that the editor of People en Español is also an openly gay man with two kids of his own.

Obama Acknowledges Gay Moms

In a Mother's Day proclamation issued by the White House on Friday, President Obama included two-mom families in his list of recognitions. An excerpt:

Whether adoptive, biological, or foster, mothers share an unbreakable bond with their children, and Americans of all ages and backgrounds owe them an immeasurable debt.

Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by two parents, a single mother, two mothers, a step-mom, a grandmother, or a guardian. Mother's Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate these extraordinary caretakers, mentors, and providers who have made us who we are. As we honor today's mothers, we also reflect upon the memory of those who have passed, and we renew our commitment to living the values they cultivated in us.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 770), has designated the second Sunday in May each year as "Mother's Day" and requested the President to call for its appropriate observance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 9, 2010, as Mother's Day. Let us express our deepest love and thanks to our mothers and remember those who, though no longer with us, inspire us still.

Towleroad has the full proclamation.