The recently-publicised senate submission by the newly-formed ‘Doctors for the Family’ group risks undermining the mental health of thousands of Australians. Doctors are highly respected within the community and are able to influence public opinion. It is of great concern that this group of doctors may do so, despite them not representing the views of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and its nearly 90,000 members.
Within their submission the group makes multiple claims that are based either on opinion or evidence that is irrelevant to the points they address.
For example, the group states that children with a mother and a father do better than those without. This is true in comparison to single parents (on average and by no means in all cases). Actual comparisons between children of same-sex coupled parents and children of heterosexual coupled parents shows no difference in their physical or mental health.
Dr Robert Battisti is a Sydney-based clinical psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist. He is extensively experienced in family, child and adolescent mental health and psychiatry, and works closely with a broad range of health professionals and academics from the general and scientific communities. Dr Battisti is also a member of Psychologists for Marriage Equality (PME).
Related news & commentary:
Avgoustinos: Gay marriage – a lawyer’s response to Doctors for the Family
Marsden: Want to know about gay parenting? Ask the children
Assoc Prof Paula Gerber: Marriage equality, myths and misconceptions
Crouch: Don’t believe the hype, kids with same-sex parents are well adjusted
Arnold: ‘Doctors for the Family’ see some Australians as more equal than others
Media release: Advocates encouraged by Hockey’s admission on same-sex parenting
Same-sex families hit back at doctors’ claims
Headspace blog: Doctors breaching their duty of care
3AW: Risk gay marriage would ‘increase homosexuality’, say Doctors for the Family
Factbox: Who are Doctors for the Family? (ABC News)
Victoria: Equal opportunity commissioner opposes same-sex marriage
Vagg: Ersatz science does not help inform debate about social policy
Castan Centre: ‘Doctors for the Family’ ill-informed on same-sex marriage
Rodney Croome: Love makes a family
Gay unions a ‘risk to kids’, say Doctors for the Family