Last week I reported that Rep. Joe Straus, the new speaker of the Texas House, is pretty much an unknown quantity on LGBT issues. Almost anything would be an improvement over right-winger Tom Craddick, whom Straus replaced, but there’s also reason for optimism given that the new speaker attends a gay-affirming synagogue and voted against a proposal to ban gay foster parents. Well, now we have what I believe is Straus’ first public statement concerning LGBT issues since his meteoric rise to the top of the House. And frankly, I’m not sure what to make of it. The statement comes from an interview in the January 2009 edition of Texas Monthly, in which Straus was asked about his vote on the foster-parenting bill. The vote took place shortly after Straus joined the House in 2005.
“That was one of the first ‘oh, here we go’ issues,” Straus told Texas Monthly. “I’m not supportive of adoption by homosexual couples, but the whole issue of government with a fiscal note attached and government employees investigating people’s private lives caused me a great deal of heartburn. I remember looking at the expenditure of taxpayer money for that and it was a lot. And it required what? Going into people’s homes? Watching the way people dress or the way they talk? I have some pretty strong libertarian leanings, and sometimes that causes a conflict. What gave me confidence to hit the button I hit was that I was very certain that Barry Goldwater would have done the same thing.”
To read the full Texas Monthly interview, go here.
It will be nice when the rednecks of Texas realize that the year is 2009 and not 1909.
Dear Mr. Straus. It has come to my attention that in interview you gave to “Texas Monthly” you indicated discomfort with homosexual couples adopting. As a gay man and father of three adult children from my 25 year marraige to wonderful mother of those children, I know that the parent’s gender orientation has nothing to do with the kind of person our children grow into. My children experienced a wrenching period of their teenage and pre-teen lives when I came out and my sexual orientation was known to them. As might be expected, they struggled with what it meant to them, but my ex-wife and I determined that they must be allowed to make their own decisions around the matter. They grew up to be loving and supportive of me and my life partner. It was my ex-wife’s and my commitment to giving our children a steady, safe platform for their lives, my children tell me, that they benefitted from. Something some of their close friends in traditional family atmospheres did not always have.
As are so many matters, successful parenting depends on many factors and detrrming suitable parents in adoption is a complex question. There are many things to consider, but sexual orientation, perse, is not one that should preclude gay couples from further consideration. You only need to check out studies that show children from same sex couple families have no more emotional or social problems than kids from traditional families.
In our society today, understanding homosexuality does not come naturally. Our traditional society has historrically ostrasized homosexuality from every common discourse we have, entertainment and news, classroom education, religious training, and so on. It therefore takes deliberate, open minded research to become educated on the true nature of homosexuality and all of the issues surrounding it. As the new Speaker, you will be confronted with some of these isssues and your leadership could mean life or death, health, and happiness to many gay, lesbian, bi, and transexual individuals. You have indicated that you do keep an open mind and that want to be fair and balanced. For you to do these things you must assure yourself that you are educated about the issues. Gay addoption is an extremely important matter which should receive such efforts on your part. Once you do, you will find your discomfort eliviated.
When the day comes that mothers who carry a baby full term with the intent to give the child up for adoption have to give them up to a same-sex couple, most of them will turn to abortion. They always want the best they can get for their children and like it or not most don’t think of same-sex couples are having the kind of stability that they want. I think some politicians have sold same-sex couples a bill of goods.
When I was in college (1995), there were a lot of studies about the adverse effects of males and females raised without a father. I saw some of these effects with my own children. I would not advise anyone to do that if they can help it. However, since then psychologists seemed to have changed their tunes. I think politics has had something to do with that change, because I was also taught how studies can be made to come out in a certain way.
I had one client who openly talked about being raised by a lesbian who hated men. Despite counseling on that issue, he continued to blame his mother for his being gay as a result of not having a male role model in his life. Whether he was right or not I do not know, but children will have their own views of their parents no matter how hard that parent tries to be a good parent. Anyone who thinks they can beat that will hear all about it from their kids.
You are a very smart person!