Sullivan letter offended many

As the executive board of SPECTRUM, Boston University’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender organization, we have a few remarks in response to Matthew Sullivan’s “Gay Adoption is Wrong” (April 1, pg. 10) letter. The entire letter is awash with contradictory statements, alerting the reader to an obvious lack of information or research. If one is going to state that “being raised by gay parents … will no doubt make it more likely for the child to choose to be gay,” immediately being preceded by the statement that “sometimes a child would be better off being raised by a gay parent,” then that person must take a serious look at what they believe. How can one announce that children should be raised by gay parents but then state that “homosexuality is not natural?” Not to mention the remarkable ability to state that “homosexuals should be respected,” while also implying that they shouldn’t have the same rights as heterosexuals. And clearly, statements such as these give the reader the view that the writer is simply inserting niceties to give off the air of “gay friendliness.”

Along with Mr. Sullivan’s bevy of contradictions exist arguments with scant basis in the reality of the world. If one is going to state that a parent is “the most influential role model in his or her child’s life,” and “the parents are the ones who shape the child’s belief on what is right and wrong,” then how does Mr. Sullivan account for the fact that most gay people are brought up in heterosexual households. This would surely be a divot in Mr. Sullivan’s conclusions about homosexuality. Not to mention the fact that many gay people were raised believing homosexuality to be wrong, yet still remain homosexual.

Another statement by Mr. Sullivan, which is a popular belief in this country, is that homosexuality is a choice. If homosexuality was something we “choose” then wouldn’t any gay person like to avoid the terror and pain of coming out into a world where they are denied basic human rights and have the possibility to be shunned by their families, the same families that Mr. Sullivan argues “shape the child’s beliefs?” Perhaps if Mr. Sullivan had done some research and careful introspection then his views would have some logical merits. But it is hard to believe that someone who “respects” homosexuals would still believe that they are “morally and socially wrong” and unnatural.

As we are at Boston University, one of the largest, most prominent schools in the country, we would expect a little more attention to and care for the words one uses. But we are used to such mudslinging and misrepresentation at the hands of misinformation. For that is what we; we who “choose” to be gay; we who are denied rights to family and marriage must live with until people start to take responsibility for their words, and the way they are expressed. Hopefully, this response has brought a new, more fact-based and cohesive perspective to the issue at hand.

Gillian Sandman COM ’05 SPECTRUM President

Staci Zarimba COM ’05 SPECTRUM Vice President

Jeff Maguire CGS ’07 SPECTRUM Treasurer