gues, “it takes love” to make a family and sex is not a part of the equation. The author is clearly very level headed regarding this issue. He doesn’t make outlandish remarks or accuse anyone as being the cause of the problem. He attempts to touch the reader’s heartstrings instead of raising anger. The evidence he presents is quite valid and believable. He brings forth one fact from the American Bar Association as well as three references to pop culture, which anyone can recognize. The author opens with reference to a quote from Jean Kerr; “Now the thing about having a baby…is thereafter you have it.” Fairbanks’ argument is that this quote doesn’t “sink in with potential gay parents anymore than it does with many straight ones.” In other words, he believes that no matter what the sexual orientation people simply don’t realize all that is involved in having children. Parenting is to be taken seriously. It is hard work which necessitates “selflessness, responsibility, and commitment that few people…are always prepared to give.” Here the author is trying to put homosexual couples on the same playing field as heterosexual couples. To define what it takes to be a good parent allows the reader to become subjective no matter what the point of view regarding gay parenting. I feel the method Fairbanks used was excellent in forcing myself to look at the true essence of parenting and opened the playing field for any point of view, which he was about to make. That next point would be regarding the choice of parenthood.Fairbanks claims there is one advantage homosexual couples have over heterosexual couples. There is no need for birth control or abortion and there is no fear of accidental pregnancy. Because of this homosexual couples must make that conscious decision; the intelligent, responsible choice to become a parent. If the parent(s) are willing to give t...
