Responses on: "If the answer to question 10 was yes, please explain."

Informant #35420: Perverts will damage children psychology.

Informant #35485: I believe that society discriminates against children of homosexuals and that the children would be treated unfairly by their peers

Informant #35522: By allowing homosexual couples adopt children, there will be a void in that child's life of a typical father or mother. While the child could very well be nurtered as well if not better than if his/her parents were heterosexual, a homosexual couple would transform the family unit and in effect assist in the elimination of gender. Gender should not be eliminated, it should be celebrated for the differences between men and women, and a child raised by a homosexual couple would be denied the opportunity to celebrate those differences in his/her own home. Of course, the increasing trend in society of children being raised by single parents makes this point somewhat moot, however I personally believe a child deserves to be raised by a heterosexual couple as the way nature intended.

Informant #35537: only because of the way the majority of the population would react. It would likely develop a stigma especially at a young age.

Informant #35546: It most certainly has a negative impact on children. Aside from my belief that being gay is morally and naturally wrong, adopted children WILL be harrassed at school for their homosexual parents. THEY WILL, there is no question about it. No matter how much one may educate or attempt to educated adolescents about homosexuals (which really should not be done in its own), children will still tease children whom have homosexual parents. This will leave the adopted child emotionally scarred and hurt, as well as wundering why his/her parents are the way they are. Society is cruel, and this behavior of other children toward the adopted child will continue untill the child is old enough to realize the life he/she must face due to having been adopted by homosexuals, and also mature enough to take the continual remarks/ social blows that they will take. My opinion is that being homosexual is naturally wrong. This can be proven by the scientific fact that is everyone in the world were gay, the human race would cease to exist. Humans, and even further, all reproducing beings, were designed to be heterosexual: emotionally, instinctivly, and physically.

Informant #35549: they would have a completely different upbringing then the people around them

Informant #35550: They will go through life being harassed by their peers and thats no way to grow up. They will also lack a mother/father figure.

Informant #35553: To be a child and grow up with no father figure or mother would be a hinderance to the child's self esteem. When they find out that most people have a mother and a father they would feel different and an outcast. Kids need a mother and a father to teach them the different aspects of life. With homosexual "parents" the child would only be getting one gender's view of the whole world growing up. There are some lessons in life that can only be learned from a mother and some that can only be learned from a father. A child who grows up without both (homosexual or single parents) is put at a tremendous disadvantage in life.

Informant #35561: it has a negative impact becuase they have to grow up in a homosexual enviorment. They will be mad fun of through out the school education because there parents are gay. it would decrease the number of friends this individual would have

Informant #35564: a child should not be raised with two parenst of the same gender

Informant #35581: Chiledren should not be raised like that! That is not how things should be and there is absolutely no reason for it!!

Informant #35582: I have no problem with homosexual marriages or couples whatsoever, though if a child is brought up without either a mother or a father it can cause serious psychological damage to the child. Not just growing up without one parent (having both is usually really important though) because many kids are brought up with one parent, but the fact of having TWO mothers or TWO fathers in a world where that is not accepted completely in society yet may hurt them. It shouldn't, but it probably would. Just going through school would probably be very difficult, so until homosexual couples are accepted in society and we see that children of these couples are raised healthy & happy, THEN it should be fine for homosexual couples to adopt children.

Informant #35606: Why would homosexual couples adopt? Is that not admitting that they secretly want to be heterosexuals?

Informant #35629: I dont think that it is a negative thing but I think that it gives infulence of being gay

Informant #35636: I think the correct answer to 10 would be sometimes. I think it all depends on the parents and how they raise the kid. Sometimes the parents don't have both aspects of a mother and a father. However i dont think it is always true.

Informant #35673: It is not how God planned for a family to be set up. The child will be confused, have to say "Mom 1 and Mom 2", it will be embarassing at times for the child, and he/she will be confused as to his/her own sexual orientation and may in fact choose to be homosexual also later in life. Hopefully you havent fallen into the pit of believing that homosexuality is a genetic characteristic.

Informant #35691: They set the example for the child to live by. That child will see them kissing and/or other things and get the wrong idea of how he/she should live. If everyone in the world was gay, we would cease to exist, therefore, homosexuality is wrong.

Informant #35714: Because society still emphasizes that children are raised by heterosexuals.

Informant #35727: A child should have both a mother and a father if one is missing it has a emtional impact on the child.

Informant #35777: Because it does not show the child the way life is soposed to be carried out ie. Heterosexual couples

Informant #35812: The family unit is nonexistent. There is a complete and total disruption of the natural child-rearing process, ultimately leading to gender confusion and a skewed perspective of society.

Informant #35823: A normal family has a mother and a father. If you have two fathers, who's going to be the mom-like figure?

Informant #35890: because the child would probably go through school getting picked on for his parents actions and that would make the child feel very uncomfortable around people that he/she should be frinds with