Homosexual fatherhood

C B

A UK scientist has recently announced that it is theoretically possible for two gay men to concieve a child in much the same way as Dolly the sheep was cloned (obviously a woman would need to carry the embyro) http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2000/0926/hom18.htm

Is this an ethical step too far for genetics?

[This message has been edited by C B (edited 26-09-2000).]

Jak

(There was a powercut here Friday, hence he missed a day)

I agree.

In the short term, I think any kid that was raised by a gay couple would likely be at a disadvantage when starting in school, and may indeed suffer more harrasment than under more traditional circumstances.

Unless attitudes change, I don't see why any child should be forced to be the pioneer for this because of his parents wishes.

There are two other issues I see here also.

Firstly, do we not consider the role of a mother to be somewhat different to that of the father? Is there a chance that two fathers would be unbalancing from a development PoV?

Secondly, I think the risk of creating genetically engineered children is too great. A child with a genetic makeup formed predominantly from 2 men? I hate to imagine what would happen to both the fathers the mother and the child if this went wrong.

JAK.

C B

I apologise for my prolonged absence (I have been infected by the glorious curse of alcohol).

Jak you're a point stealing SoB.

Yes there are two issues here.
1. should gay couples be allowed have kids?
2. should kids be made from the DNA of same-sex partners?

My answer to the first is yes. societal homophobia shouldn't be the asis for laws.

But my original post really refers to the second question and as Jak has said (the ******* ) a child from two men is simply wrong (this is not a homophobic arguement).

[This message has been edited by C B (edited 26-09-2000).]

Shiminay

I don't have a problem with a gay couple (men or women) raising a child - provided of course they weren't neglectful (as with any parents).

I'm not in favour of a GM child - it's a bit freaky to comprehend for me...

I'll have to have a think about it...

---

All the best,

Dav
@B^)
My page of stuff

Paladin

X & Y chromosomes...
All women have the X from their father, and one of the X's from their mother.

A kid with both X's from the father? What the hell is that?! I mean XX is female right, but two male X's (which originally came from those guys mothers fair enuff but still weird).

Begs the intresting question when this woman is having s3x...
"Whose yer Daddy?

TwoShedsJackson

Ah you're still alive C B no post since Friday, thought you had left us. As for whether the above is a step too far for ethics, I feel the answer is no.

It depends on whether finds gay couples acceptable in the first place. If you do then you should have no difficulty with them having children. If they have a loving and committed relationship and are fit parents then they have every right.

On the other hand those who hate and/or fear gays would be adamantly opposed due to them being sinners and blasphemers etc. Of course they wouldn't be married either so the child would have limited rights in law etc. compared to the child of a straight couple.

Plus you are bound to get people saying that if a child is raised by two gay men, the child will also be gay - this comes down to people having the stone age attitude that you could be 'infected' by gayness by spending time with gay men or women.

To conclude, it's not a step too far, but it is certainly a step too soon - perhaps in future when gay couples are more accepted in society this might come to pass.

Canaboid

Who's going to breast feed it ?

Jak

Designer Kids is my greatest fear in this area for the future.

People picking from an available list of immunities is one thing, but selecting eye colour etc.. Bad way to go.

In any case there would be huge equity concerns as to who this was available for.

Imagine the kids at school - All the GM kids laughing at the kids whose parents didn't have the cash to get him the very best in designer Jeans/Genes.

Shinji

I don't see any problem with gay couples raising children... tbh, I'm pretty right-wing in some of my views on parenthood, and believe that people should have to undergo a psychological vetting process to ensure that they are capable of raising a child properly before being allowed to reproduce. However, given that, I think that a lot of gay couples (male or female) are just as capable of providing a secure and loving environment for a child to grow up in as straight couples are.

As to the whole genetics issue.. Uuuhh, don't go there. Adoption, fostering... but I think we're a LONG way from accepting GM modification of children. Not that I think it's necessarily a bad thing - there are a lot of diseases and so on which could be wiped out through judicious genetic manipulation of humanity - but doing it to create "designer kids" is another thing altogether.

Ja,
Rob

tHE vAGGABOND

I gotta go with the church and the right wingers on this one Im afraid, a child needs (IMHO) both a male and a female parent. Plain and Simple.

I do believe that 2 males can raise a normal child. That child may well be 'grand' and may not look and act any differently to anyone else. Its just like a single mother may raise a 'normal' child. Even that two women may raise a normal child. All of the above is an option b4 killing the child
(side stepping that thorny issue that will fill all of our lives here for the next year or so!!!)

Given the option, in normal circumstances, people should not be allowed create children in a lab. We should not allow people and/or corporations play with genetics, be the results apperantely positive or negitive. One short term gain, may cause something very bad down the line, or cause something simeple not to work. No one can claim to understand how the brain and genetics works, even 50%.

TwoShedsJackson

Originally posted by tHE vAGGABOND:
All of the above is an option b4 killing the child
(side stepping that thorny issue that will fill all of our lives here for the next year or so!!!)

Do what?!?!?

Excelsior

disclaimer: kevin is a christian, so if he gives random and seemingly odd opinions, put them down to that, but dont put them down...

two men raising a kid in a homosexual relationship is a fine idea. castor, i agree that in the future it may be easier, but it won't get easier without some revolutionaries to blaze the trail. so i endorse homosexuals being fathers. kids need love and care, not one man and one woman. if they can do the job and that kid will be treasured, then they can have kids.

BUT! big opposition to genetic modification. the language of life is coiled up in those there helixes. (or helixi?) when society messes with that stuff, i will consider withdrawing from society. anyone read brave new world people?

so yes to homosexual parentage and the most prohibitive no i know to dna modification.

my 4398984376984769381 roubles.

tHE vAGGABOND

CT I was trying to side step the whole abortion issue, and the fact that it will fill all of our lives here in Ireland for the next year, like it or not