Strollerderby : glbt

Not Every Kid With a Mother Has a "Mommy"

Miriam Axel-Lute — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:00:00 GMT

A few weeks ago I was at Music Together with my daughter. We were singing a song where a typical verse went like this:

"Who's that tapping at the window? /Who's that knocking at the door?
Mommy's tapping at the window?/Daddy's knocking at the door."

(Makes you think of the toddlers who lock their parents out, doesn't it?)

After it was over, my daughter turned to me and said "That's song's silly."

"Why?" I asked, though I was pretty sure I knew what was coming.

"It doesn't have a Mama in it."

And indeed it didn't. Though most of the world thinks of "Mommy" and "Mama" as interchangable, for children like her who have both, they're not exactly. She's been told, and basically understands, that they are just "parent names" and that all mothers and fathers get to choose a specific ones like "mommy" or "mama," and that doesn't mean they have different roles as parents. Nonetheless, she likes them to be in balance—from early on she would assign various unnamed mothers in her books, human and animal, one or the other and stick to her designations firmly, and she's quite concerned to know which one the various parents-to-be in her life are going to pick.

Now clearly it's no revelation that kids from anything other than a one mother-one father family don't see their family structures reflected in stories, songs, school exercises, etc. very often, and they feel it.

But what struck me about this exchange was that the parent names angle provides a fairly easy way to be a lot more inclusive without interrupting things with extended awkward clauses like "except some kids instead have two moms or two dads . . ." Not that kids shouldn't be explicitly presented with the idea of family structure variety—they should—but in passing cases like this music class, it can get a little silly. In those cases, perhaps just adding more parent names to our patter could go a long way. Nothing PC and obsessive. Just mixing it up a little.

In fact, it has the extra benefit of being a little more comfy to those from a het two-parent family who have a mama or papa. I've heard from one grown woman who had a papa who says that she was fairly annoyed by the "daddy" hegemony. Meanwhile, for the kids for whom they are interchangable, it likely won't even register.

I mentioned the idea to the music teacher, who acknowledged that she'd had concerns about those mommy/daddy songs too. This session, she's been singing a different song that mentions parents by name, and she's given it four verses—Mommy, Mama, Daddy, and Papa. It doesn't cover everyone, certainly, but I think those are far and away the top choices, so they should cover a lot of ground. It was simple and non disruptive and my daughter doesn't think that song is "silly."

What do you think? Would your kids notice? Would they care?

Photo CC license, YatesLaberge, via Flickr.

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Heather Has Two Mommies = "Adult Content"?

Miriam Axel-Lute — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:30:00 GMT

"Protecting" children (and adults with paper-thin sensibilities) by hiding/filtering/censoring content deemed "adult" has a long history of not working very well. My mother was a children's librarian for a long time in a town in Essex County, NJ, and remembers when the filtering software blocked searches of kids trying to research their county government.

But it takes an ambitious effort to fail quite as spectacularly has Amazon has in its attempts to remove the sales ranking from books deemed "adult." (via Jezebel). (Sales ranking determines placement in searches and inclusion in the recommendation alogrithms, which is why it matters.)

If this just covered hardcore porn DVDs, there would likely have been not much outrage. But the curious decision-making process determining what is labeled adult appears to be (1) wildly broad, yet inconsistent and (2) extremely anti-gay. Petitions have been started and customer service lines flooded. The charge of it being a "glitch" has been dismissed outright.

Parents, in particular, may be surprised and troubled to learn that while heterosexual porn (books of Playboy pinups, for example) and sex toys have not been affected, the classic children's book Heather Has Two Mommies, a history of gay rights written for teens, and a book about anti-gay bullying in high school were disappeared (at least for a while — as of this writing, Heather's sales rank has been returned. It seems the ranks are coming and going with some frequency).

But never fear, The Parents Guide to Preventing Homosexuality has so far stayed ranked and available.

What do think? Is this a well-meaning algorithm gone wrong, an underlying problem about tagging everything GLBT with "sexuality," or flat-out prudish homophobia? Have you been afraid of what your children might find on Amazon? And now, how about what they might not find?

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McCain Talks to the Gays: Part One, Marriage

Shannon LC Cate — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 23:50:00 GMT

Okay, he didn't actually talk to us. He had someone on his campaign staff fill out a questionnaire from the Washington Blade and send it back. But hey--that's more than any other republican candidate for president has ever done. And a progressive republican he is! McCain doesn't want to have us stoned in the public square. Well, not unless a state decides that's our appropriate fate. McCain is a strict federalist, he says and certain things should be left to the states:

"My home state of Arizona shouldn’t be compelled to recognize a marriage from California or Massachusetts. Those states can decide that issue by themselves. "

Of course he doesn't say this, but what he means is Arizona shouldn't be compelled to recognize same-sex couples married in California or Massachusetts. And that makes so much sense, since marital status changing from state-to-state has worked so well throughout U.S. history so far. Oh wait, never mind.

Straight, married readers, how would you like to have to check that wedding ring at every state line you cross? Imagine this: road trip from New Jersey to Vegas, you're married today, single tomorrow, married today... Or this, ladies: hubby's traveling for business and really isn't married when the woman in the slinky dress in the hotel bar asks. Or seriously, this: you're filling out those federal tax forms, a marriage certificate from your state hanging over the kitchen table. Which box do you check? Both "married" and "single" are a legal lie.

If we are going to keep awarding people rights and privileges based on their family formations (which we shouldn't, but that's a post for another day), marriage should most certainly not be left up to the states. Anyone--republican or democrat--who says so is weaseling out of supporting queer families without coming clean and saying so outright.

Are You Pregnant? Or a Transsexual? (Or Both?) Then You Could Be the Next Miss Spain!

Karen Murphy — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:12:00 GMT

You gotta love a country that embraces acceptance in a big way. Faced with a lawsuit brought by a Miss Spain contestant who was disqualified due to pregnancy, Miss Spain pageant organizers did an about-face and changed the rules to allow not only contestants who are pregnant or already mothers, but also transsexual contestants as well.

BWAHAHAHAHA! Sorry, I was just imagining the apoplexy that would be caused if the same thing happened with the Miss America pageant. I think it's an excellent idea myself, and I might actually watch it if there were pregnant or transsexual contestants. The whole pageant-thing is so creepily outdated anyway. Why not have fun and be inclusive at the same time?

So, I don't know, is there more to the story? Are we left to simply draw our own conclusions? I'd love to know how serious Miss Spain is about pregnant contestants, or contestants who are mothers with real bodies, let alone the whole transsexual business that seems to have been thrown in more for political reasons than through real acceptance. This could be a vehicle to help change social stereotypes about female beauty, and in my Happy Bubble Land, it will be. I'd love to be right about that.

[image source: dailywaste.com]

Transgendered Teen Wins Right To Run For Prom King

Patti — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:27:00 GMT

Fresno High senior Cinthia Covarrubias made history when she managed to get the district to overturn a regulation that required prom royalty to adhere to gender restrictions. Covarrubias came out as transgendered her freshman year, and she wanted to run for prom king because that's what makes sense for her. So she made it happen.

Cinthia's quest for prom king status met with mixed reactions from classmates and adults. While many people were very supportive of Cinthia's goal to reverse the district's rules and earn the right to run alongside the biological males as a prom king candidate, some people just weren't quite ready to make the leap to the 21st century. One classmate called Cinthia's campaign "creepy" while a parent—someone who is presumably responsible for teaching her own children how to treat other people—wondered how Cinthia could be so insensitive as to put other people in the awkward position of having to accept her for who she is. That mother, Deana Giles, actually said the following: "The world is getting too politically correct" and "There's a time and a place to make a stand...this isn't it." Translation: People who aren't like me should just shut up. A lovely sentiment, no?

Cinthia wasn't elected prom king, but this is a huge win for GLBT teens everywhere, anyway. And also for any kid who feels marginalized.

(Author's note: After sitting around playing with pronouns for a while, I ended up following the Associated Press's lead and using "she" to refer to Cinthia. In no way is this meant to denigrate Cinthia's gender identity.)

The Most Powerful Lesbian Moms in America

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:06:00 GMT

Who are the most powerful lesbian moms in the United States? Out Magazine published an article on The Power 50. It was an article on the most powerful gay men and women in America. This article not only informed me that David Geffen and Anderson Cooper were gay (I'm the only person who didn't know that, aren't I?) but also prompted a great post on Mombian on who they thought were the most influential lesbian mommies in America.

So who would you think? Rosie O'Donnell seemed obvious, as did Mary Cheney (mom to be) and her partner Heather Roe. The head of The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Kate Kendall and Sandy Holmes aren't surprising nor were Kara Swisher and Megan Smith.

So who wasn't I expecting to make the list? Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn Michaels. After I read it, it made sense. I know they are very activist and probably raise a lot of money. But how about Sheryl Swoopes and Alisa Scott? Not only did I not know they were a couple, but I hadn't thought about either of their sexual orientations and I didn't know they had a child. (Okay, I looked it up and they are raising Swoopes son from a previous marriage together.)

There are many more on their list. Did they miss anyone?

Tiny Revolutionary: Kid's Shirts With Something To Say

Patti — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 21:18:00 GMT

If there's one thing we've learned, it's that we love to dress our kids up in ironic teeshirts. Hell, entire books and Time Magazine articles have been devoted to the modern parents' pursuit of clever children's clothing.

But rather than let The Man bring us down, I'm thinking we should just indulge. And what oh-my-gosh-how-cute-is-that way to do it than with a shirt or onesie from Tiny Revolutionary? These aren't so much overtly political (for the most part) as they are subtle, pointing out that yes, we as parents are thinking about the future we're providing our kids, and yes, not all of us are traditional families. And graphically, they're really stunning. I'm particularly drawn to the adoption-themed shirt and to this anti-war design, and if Honda or Toyota would hurry up and launch a hybrid minivan for me to buy I'd snap up two of these in a hot second.

Now, normally I'm a little bit of a teeshirt hacker and the prices on these are why. But next time a baby gets born in my social circle, I think I know where I'm going to shop for gifts. And a dollar from each item goes to a worthy charity, plus you can submit your own ideas for future charitable giving.

Arkansas to Attempt to Bar Gays, Unmarried from Guardianship of Children

Patti — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:05:00 GMT

If you live in Arkansas, you might have to rethink your will. A state legislator is introducing a bill which, if passed, would prevent gay or unmarried straight couples from adopting, fostering, or otherwise taking guardianship of minor children. Gay parents comprise only about 6.5% of the total number of adoptions in the state, and it had been state policy since 1999 to exclude homosexuals from becoming foster parents until that policy was overturned last year.

State legislator Steve Womack (R) introduced the bill and at the last minute tried to amend it so that opposite-sex couples were excluded from the ban, and the amendment was rejected. And rightly so, actually. If you're going to set a standard of what it means to be a family, you damn well better at least pretend to be consistent about it. Still, it's another sad example of how the chances of forming a "forever family" are diminished in the name of "family values". And not only does it limit the options for the children in Arkansas' foster care system, it limits the choices available to Arkansas parents and birth mothers when they seek to place their child or choose a guardian. Nobody's going to win with this one.

Gay Kids May be Finding it Easier to Come Out These Days

Karen Murphy — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 11:56:00 GMT

When my older son was about three, he took to wearing an old skirt of his big sister's (she was about 15 then). At first it was just around the house, but eventually he insisted, as three-year-olds do about a whole host of things, to be allowed to wear it when and where he pleased. At that point I was used to putting barrettes in his hair and seeing him carry around an old purse (he made quite a striking figure in a very boyish polo shirt, a raggedy black pleated knit skirt, sparkly barrettes, and the purse). It was capped off when his dad bought him, for his fourth birthday, a pair of pink plastic high heeled shoes. Nathaniel refers to that time as "when he was a girl" and in fact most people did take him for a girl for at least a year, complimenting me on my "lovely daughters" after his little sister was born.

Now, I know enough to know that gender issues have nothing necessarily to do with being gay, but my son's preferences during that time did bring a question to the forefront, which was, "What if my son is gay?" My conclusion? "No problem." I knew I would be able to accept my son for who he was, whoever that turned out to be. Well, I hoped I would, of course, not really knowing how I would be in reality, because how can you know your reaction to anything in advance? But I hope I will be open to it when and if it comes up in his life. Or his sister's. Or his little brother's, for that matter.

It's not so easy in many families. There are expectations, misunderstandings, long-held beliefs, a whole host of things that all could make a kid's coming-out as gay one of the most difficult, painful, and stressful times of his (or her) life as well as the family's. Apparently, though, the climate is changing somewhat according to this New York Times article which tells the poignant story of Zach O'Connor and his family. Zach came out to his parents at the age of 13, much younger than what was previously the norm, at the same time escaping the years of angst that often have preceded such an announcement. Apparently this is a trend fueled in part by increasing social visibility through the Internet and TV shows like "Will and Grace." In addition, there is a burgeoning number of support groups and social groups in many communities and schools to help these kids connect and understand.

I think that this trend toward acceptance can only be a good thing. I went to high school with a couple of boys who came out afterward, and I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for them in high school. It's wonderful that Zach's parents are as accepting as they are of him, and I hope that this truly is a trend for the future.

Czech Civil Unions Produce Baby Boom

Patti — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:02:00 GMT

Nine months after legalizing civil unions, the office of the Czech Ministry of Health and Welfare is reporting a massive baby boom.

"We don't know what to attribute this to," said a ministry source. "It seems counterintuitive".

Czech hospitals are slammed, with record numbers of new babies being born and OB offices experiencing unprecedented patient loads. Says Prague OB-GYN Alexandra Marionova, "I really thought things would slow down after the law passed. I figured my career was over, and I was thinking about traveling for a while, maybe going to massage therapy school or something". Meanwhile, the Minister of Education has launched a recruitment campaign to ensure that Czech schools will be well-staffed in the coming years.

"We honestly assumed this would ensure the breakdown of the traditional family, and we were encouraging potential teachers to consider alternative careers", said assistant minister Peter Paretzky. "Now we've only got a few years to resolve this before our kindergartens overflow."

Study Finds Adoptive Parents are Super-Parents

thezeroboss — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 17:08:00 GMT

Until I took a gig writing about kids for a living, I didn't know that there were people like Tricia Vaughn Smith in the world. Smith is a vocal opponent of adoption, believing it a thumb in the eye to the Almighty. Kids, the anti-adoption crowd argues, are much better off with their biological parents; taking children away from their bio-mom and bio-dad is tantamount to human trafficking. Smith even goes so far as to call adoptive families "artificial families."

We'll address the human slave trade argument another time. As for whether adoptive families are beneficial to kids, a new study from Indiana University has produced powerful evidence that adoptive moms and dads can be better parents than their seed-bearing counterparts. The study, published in the American Sociological Review, examined 161 households with dual adoptive parents out of a potential pool of 13,000 families. They found that, compared to bio-families, adoptive parents went the extra mile in a number of areas, including income invested and time spent with their kids.

Why did adoptive parents come out "better" in this survey? One reason is money: adoptive parents tend to adopt later in life, giving them a better financial launch pad for raising kids. But even when the researchers equalized for income, the adoptive parents still had a small edge. Sociologist Brian Powell, who helped produce the study, said that adoptive parents had to clear more social hurdles than bio-families, and probably went the extra mile to prove that their families were "legitimate".

Powell also argued that his study puts the lie to the conservative assertion that children can't thrive with gay or lesbian adoptive parents. The Family Research Counsel's Peter Sprigg was quick to denounce that conclusion (shocking but true). Nice dodge, Mr. Sprigg. Fact is, both New York and Washington state recently ruled in favor of "traditional" marriage on the grounds that it was better for kids. Justices in my home of Washington state (boo) went so far to declare that marriage "encourag[es] families where children are reared in homes headed by the children’s biological parents." So whether the IU study focused on same sex adoptive parents is irrelevant; it still undercuts a mainstay argument of the religious right against same sex families.

And just in time for Freedom to Marry Week. What perfect timing. Take that, Tricia Vaughn Smith!

Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi: Maybe Baby

Karen Murphy — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 17:47:00 GMT

I'm still astounded that if a celebrity reports simply thinking about doing something, it's news. But how can I resist this one? I love how Ellen Degeneres transcended all the ugliness from being practically drummed out of television to being one of the most-liked figures in daytime TV. How can you not like a story like that? So people have either forgotten she's a lesbian or "forgiven" her for it, or even better, don't care about the label. Yay! I'd love to see more of this.

And now Ellen is planning/hoping/talking about having a baby with her totally hot partner Portia De Rossi. Sure, a move like that might bring the labels back for some people, but it also could bring the couple a lot of happiness. And I hope it does.

Parent Blogosphere Focus: Meet the GLBT Parents (Part 1)

thezeroboss — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:34:00 GMT

Here at Strollerderby, we strive to highlight the great writing done by parenting bloggers far and wide. As a bisexual dad myself, I have a special interest in calling out my peeps in the GLBT community, who face the burden of parenting in a culture that is often hostile to their family's very existence. In the following series of posts, I'll point out some of the best blogs written by gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered parents that you may or may not be reading. Many of these blogs are about parenting, but some aren't; the key factor is that they discuss some facet of the world from a GLBT parent's perspective.

By way of Pirate Papa I found Guy Dads, two gay fathers who are raising six kids. (I would say "HOLY SHIT!" with as many exclamation points as my text editor allows, but having six kids total myself, I'm in no position to talk.) Check out this post from author Another Gay Dad about the War on Christmas, and how he feels about "coming out" to others during the Christian high holidays as a convert to Reformed Judaism.

One blog that everybody insisted I must read is The Other Mother, written by Robin Reagler, which subtitles itself "letters from the outposts of lesbian parenting". Robin and her partner have two girls who are the definition of "adorable". Here's Robin talking about how glad she and her partner are to know that their child didn't inherit Kelsey Grammar's hair line. For a mile-high view of what Other Mother and her family are all about, check out her review of 2006, culled by copying the first paragraph from the beginning of each month of her archives.

Finally (for now), The Hygiene Chronicles is a must read. The author Steve lives in the Washington D.C. area with his partner of 15 years and their 4 year old son. How good is Steve? He has me thinking that I should moisturize my face. Plus, his top 10 albums from 1985 to 1989 show he has, if not impeccable, then at least excusable taste in music.

Needless to say, I haven't even sucked the tip of the iceberg with this roundup. Stay tuned for more!

Pee Wee Herman Makes a Comeback? God I Hope So

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:19:00 GMT

Dora's dull. Diego's dimwitted. The Wonderpets? Wimps. There's just no children's show like "Pee-Wee's Playhouse." And it may be coming back -- at least in movie form. In a recent San Francisco Chronicle article, Paul Reubens said the iconic show that offered lessons in childhood anarchy and not-so subtle gay subtexts (Cowboy Curtis does a mean "YMCA") could hit the silver screen in a more adult form. To which I say, it's about. freaking. time.

I watched "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" with abandon. But because I was both too young and too stupid, I missed out on many of the wink-wink, nod-nod gags and characters that played havoc on Reagan-era conservatism at the time. Dixie the cab driver. Cowboy Curtis. Jambi the Genie. They might as well have went off with Dorothy in search of the Wizard. Now with a new era of conservatism, the time is ripe for a show that tells children it's OK to be a fat white lady and date your black neighbor or to "marry" a "fruit salad." I'm ready now -- and frankly, so is the country.

Questions remain, however -- like how Reubens plans get over certain, um, charges and also how he can transform himself back into the gray suited, baby face ever-boy of yester-80s. After all, he's looking like the long-lost brother of David Sedaris nowadays. (Reubens confessed to dumping cigarette ashes into robot Conky on the set -- a Sedaris move? You decide.) Reubens says digital film can do wonders for your complexion. I say today's secret word is Botox.

Diversity Video Shown at School; Parents Upset

Karen Murphy — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 20:04:00 GMT

The parents of a 9-year-old female student of a New Jersey school says they are angry about a videotape that school officials says teaches children about families and diversity. The tape was shown to children late last year and includes footage of children talking about their same-sex parents. The girl's father reportedly later viewed the video and found it "absolutely appalling". The school claims that "the video makes no judgment about lifestyles...[the purpose of it] is to teach respect for the diversity of all children".

Personally? I'm thinking that maybe such a video should be required viewing for parents as well for children. It's about time that we quit ignoring the fact that we're not in actuality a cookie-cutter society, no matter what lengths we go to pretend that we are. It's time to more fully embrace the wonderful differences that are all a part of the human experience.

What do you think? Should schools teach diversity about various kinds of families, including GLBT families, or should those topics be left to the parents to present in their own way? Would you applaud or be horrified by such a curriculum in your child's school?

No-Name Calling Week Draws Ire of Homophobic Parents

Patti — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:14:00 GMT

Thirty miles south of the site of the third largest annual celebration of GLBT pride in the country, a few parents protested an anti-bullying event sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. It's not that these Farmington, Minnesota parents are in favor of bullies, no sirree ("We understand that's a problem," says parent Michael Keifer). What they're against is the association with homosexuality, however indirect and vague. Because even thirty miles south of one of the gay-friendliest cities in the nation, there are still people who think that good information is tainted if it comes from a source with different values.

No Name-Calling Week is a week-long program GLSEN developed with publishing company Simon & Schuster, which helps schools open dialogue with students about bullying of all types. The parents in Farmington who oppose the program claim that their opposition is completely due to GLSEN's involvement. "We believe that the needs of the students would be better served by the ... program being conducted independent of involvement with an agenda-specific group such as GLSEN", as Justine Jacobsen puts it. GLSEN's "agenda", for what it's worth, is to strive "to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression". Why, I am ~~just shocked and appalled~~ not seeing the problem here.

To their credit, Farmington administrators responded to the homophobic parents with surprise and a bit of eyerolling. "We're not sure why it matters who came up with the good idea," said principal Barbara Duffrin. The program continued as scheduled.

Lesbian Custody Battle Wages On

Patti — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 13:00:00 GMT

The family court division in Rutland, Vermont is enforcing the child support order it imposed upon Janet Jenkins, who is currently locked in a bitter custody battle with the biological mother of her child, Lisa Miller. Jenkins and Miller conceived their child, which Miller carried, via IVF during their year-long civil union. They dissolved the union after Miller renounced her homosexuality and moved to Virginia with their child. Jenkins has been duking it out with her ex ever since.

Virginia currently refuses to recognize Vermont's jurisdiction over this matter, and Lisa Miller has enlisted the support of the religious right in her fight to gain full custody of four-year-old Isabella, retaining as her legal representation Liberty Counsel, who also represent the Exodus "gay rehabilitation" organization.

As we all know, if Janet Jenkins were a man, Virginia would probably be recognizing the hell out of Vermont's jurisdiction. And if this were a messy heterosexual breakup, we'd be calling what Lisa Miller is doing "kidnapping".

More Bans on Same Sex Foster Parents?

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:46:00 GMT

It looks like the Arkansas state legislature is going to try to take some steps to make sure that nobody accidentally confuses them with a progressive state. You see, last June the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that a state ban on homosexual couples being foster partents was unconstitutional. Sadly, The Family Council and some of the Arkansas legislators are out to get the old ban written into law.

According to this slightly confusing article by Doug Thompson, The Family Council feels that they won't have any trouble finding a sponsor to get a bill passed banning couples from being foster parents based on sexual orientation.

You may have read a post here a week and a half ago by CityMama talking about the new restrictions that Texas is using to stop people from becoming foster parents. I guess Arkansas could join Texas in a system that wouldn't allow same sex couples to participate in an overburdened foster system.

Feel free to disagree with me, but I don't see how placing a child with two people (unmarried, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered) who are genuinely going out of their way to take in a juvenile that needs a good home could not be in that child's best interest. These children need a place to live. The state needs people to help. Do these states assume that all homosexuals are also pedophiles? It doesn't make sense. What sort of 40 year old stereotype porpoganda are these people working off of?

I have friends with gay parents. I have gay friends that are parents. I have not noticed that the children turn out any different from those of us with parents of opposite genders, with the possible exception that most of these people end up slightly more open minded.

That doesn't seem like such a bad thing to me.

Right-Wing Nutjob Says Soy Makes Kids Gay

Dad Gone Mad — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:00:00 GMT

Under the heading “A devil food is turning our kids into homosexuals,” some dickhead homophobe named Jim Rutz has written a commentary contending that soy makes kids gay. (Mr. Rutz is also rumored to believe that Spaghetti-Os turn you Mexican and Cheerios make you black.)

“Soy is feminizing,” he says, “and commonly leads to a decrease in the size of the penis, sexual confusion and homosexuality. That’s why most of the medical (not socio-spiritual) blame for today’s rise in homosexuality must fall upon the rise in soy formula and other soy products.”

He’s basically saying we’d all be a lot better off if we fed the kids a healthy, Republican diet. Lots of red meat and dairy products and whiskey. Then we could all grow up to look rotund and miserable like Dick Cheney, which is essentially the way the rest of the world views Americans anyway.

Who is this guy Rutz? What qualification does he have to make this absurd declaration? As I read his homophobic drivel, I see no mention that he did any sort of independent research. As all of the great hate-mongers of our time have done to support their causes, this asshole has simply stolen statistics and coordinated without context to support his assertion that we must drastically reduce our children’s soy intake before they all become – gasp! – fags.

Notice that in his attempt scare our kids into Heteroville, Rutz has link homosexuality to leukemia, breast cancer, infertility and testicular atrophy.

A confession: I go to Starbucks EVERY DAY and order an iced, venti SOY latte. I have been doing so for five years. Yet despite Rutz The Putz’s assessment, I have not noticed a decrease in my penis size, I am not “sexually confused” and I have not turned gay.

That said, I am cordially inviting Jim Rutz to suck my dick.