Taking Sides : Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Family and Personal Relationships

PART 1. Parenting Issues

ISSUE 1. Is It Ever Appropriate to Spank a Child?

YES: Den A. Trumbull and S. DuBose Ravenel, from "Spare theRod?" Family Policy

NO: Irwin A. Hyman, from The Case Against Spanking: Howto Discipline Your Child Without Hitting

Den A. Trumbull and S. DuBose Ravenel, both pediatriciansin private practice, contend that spanking can serve as a valuabledisciplinary method and play a significant role in a child'sdevelopment. They maintain that well-planned-out spankings, those thatthe child is told about in advance and that are delivered withoutanger, can be useful, effective, and appropriate deterrents toinappropriate behavior. Irwin A. Hyman, director of the NationalCenter for Study of Corporal Punishment and Alternatives, argues thatthere is never any reason to hit a child. Focusing on the emotionaleffects of spanking, he asserts that spanking is much more likely toteach children to tolerate and perpetuate violence than it is tocorrect disobedience.

ISSUE 2. Does the U.S. Need a Parental-Rights Amendment?

YES: Greg D. Erken, from "Halt Social Engineering of theNation's Families", Insight on the News

NO: Jack C. Westman, from "License Parents to EnsureChildren's Welfare", Insight on the News

Greg D. Erken, executive director for Of the People, anonprofit, parental-rights organization, challenges the concept thatanyone other than a parent knows what is best for children. As theFirst Amendment exemplifies the principles on which Americans basediscussions and debates around free speech, he maintains that theparental-rights amendment should do the same for parents' rights. JackC. Westman, professor of psychiatry at the University ofWisconsin-Madison, asserts that a parental-rights amendment sets thegovernment and parents up as enemies. He argues that many governmentpolicies, such as child neglect, labor, and mandatory education laws,have served children and families well. He contends that the amendmentis unnecessary.

ISSUE 3. Are Single-Parent Families a Major Cause of SocialDysfunction?

YES: Patrick Fagan, from "Broken Families Strongly CorrelateWith a Range of Social Pathologies", Insight on the News

NO: Stephanie Coontz, from "Social Problems Correlate MoreClosely With Poverty Than Family Background", Insight on theNews

Patrick Fagan, a resident scholar in family culture at theHeritage Foundation, cites the increased stress, lower production, andhigher social risks that follow children who are born to single-parentfamilies. These negative factors, he asserts, lead to other socialills later in life, such as unhealthy behaviors for managing stressand relationships that are based more on sexual attraction than onemotional connection and therefore are unlikely to last. Heacknowledges the perseverance of many single-parent households butargues that all things being equal, "the intact married family beatsthe single-parent family in every other measurable dimension".Stephanie Coontz, a family historian at The Evergreen State College inOlympia, Washington, counters that identifying a particular familytype as the source of certain social ills is not only inaccurate butcan also lead to ineffective public policies. The challenges facingmany people, such as poverty, school delinquency, and work benefits,she contends are there whether a person is single or married. Coontzmaintains that encouraging marriage as a panacea to these social illsis not the answer.

ISSUE 4. Can We Raise "Gender-Neutral" Children?

YES: Sandra Lipsitz Bem, from An UnconventionalFamily

NO: Denise A. Segura and Jennifer L. Pierce, from "Chicana/oFamily Structure and Gender Personality: Chodorow, Familism, andPsychoanalytic Sociology Revisited", Signs

Psychologist Sandra Lipsitz Bem uses her own children asexamples that raising gender-neutral children is not only possible butalso can result in positive self-esteem. She states that bydiscussing differences in genders without attaching a value to thesedifferences, children who are raised with gender-neutral expectationswill have a more open, positive view of the world in general.Sociologists Denise A. Segura and Jennifer L. Pierce contend thatgender and gender role expectations are tied very closely to familialand cultural expectations. Referring to the Chicana/o culture ofMexico, they demonstrate that gender-specific role fulfillment isvital to certain cultures, ensuring the survival of important culturaltraditions.

ISSUE 5. Does Divorce Create Long-Term Negative Effects forChildren?

YES: Karl Zinsmeister, from "Divorce's Toll on Children",The American Enterprise

NO: David Gately and Andrew I. Schwebel, from "FavorableOutcomes in Children After Parental Divorce", Journal of Divorceand Remarriage

Karl Zinsmeister, editor in chief of The AmericanEnterprise, points to research and surveys showing that not onlyis divorce much more harmful to children but also that childrenthemselves say they would rather remain in a household where parentsargue and fight than to have their parents break up. Educators DavidGately and Andrew I. Schwebel highlight literature that demonstrateshow going through a divorce can actually strengthen a child, helpingto build her or his self-efficacy and level ofself-esteem.

PART 2. Parental Decisions

ISSUE 6. Should Parents Be Allowed to Opt Out of VaccinatingTheir Kids?

YES: Barbara Loe Fisher, from "Children at Risk for AdverseReactions Should Be Given a Pass Without Penalty", Insight on theNews

NO: Steven P. Shelov, from "That Would Open the Door forEpidemics of Some Deadly Childhood Diseases", Insight on theNews

Barbara Loe Fisher, cofounder and president of theNational Vaccine Information Center, argues that the risks involvedwith vaccinating children need to be weighed by their parents. Sheasserts that in some states government policies relating tovaccinations for children discount the parents' rights to choose whatis best for their children and that parents should be allowed todecide whether or not to have their children vaccinated. Steven P.Shelov, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the MaimonidesMedical Center in New York City, points to the vast number ofdiseases, disorders, and deaths that are preventable thanks tovaccines early in life. He maintains that parents should trust inscience and the extensive research that has been done on thesevaccines and make every effort to ensure that their children arevaccinated.

ISSUE 7. Should Parents of Deaf Children Choose CochlearImplant Surgery?

YES: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hardof Hearing, from "Kids and Cochlear Implants: Getting Connected", aBrochure of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf andHard of Hearing,http://www.agbell.org/information/kids_cochlear.pdf

NO: National Association of the Deaf, from "NAD PositionStatement on Cochlear Implants",http://www.nad.org/infocenter/newsroom/positions/CochlearImplants.html

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf andHard of Hearing, an international membership organization and resourcecenter on hearing loss and spoken language, maintains that a cochleardevice can lead to greater hearing and speech capability throughout aperson's life. The National Association of the Deaf, the oldest andlargest constituency organization focusing on accessibility and civilrights of Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing, argues that thecochlear implant treats deafness as a disability and ignores thehistorical and cultural aspects of deaf life.

ISSUE 8. Should Parents Surgically Alter Their IntersexInfants?

YES: Amicur Farkas, B. Chertin, and Irith Hadas-Halpren, from"One-Stage Feminizing Genitoplasty: Eight Years of Experience WithForty-Nine Cases", The Journal of Urology

NO: Alice Domurat Dreger, from "`Ambiguous Sex'--orAmbivalent Medicine? Ethical Issues in the Treatment ofIntersexuality", Hastings Center Report

Amicur Farkas, B. Chertin, and Irith Hadas-Halpren,faculty of the Ben-Gurion University in Jerusalem, Israel, seeambiguous genitalia as a true emergency. They assert that feminizingsurgery should be done on an infant with congenital adrenalhyperplasia to ensure that as an adult woman she will have sexualfunctioning and be able to give birth. Alice Domurat Dreger, assistantprofessor in the Lyman Briggs School at Michigan State University,explores the ethics in recommending to parents that they should havetheir children's genitals altered surgically. With so little educationavailable about the true meaning and options relating to children bornwith ambiguous genitalia, she wonders if any parents who decide thattheir child should have the surgery are truly giving informedconsent.

PART 3. Children's Rights

ISSUE 9. Should the Senate Ratify the Convention on theRights of the Child?

YES: United States Fund for UNICEF, from "United NationsConvention on the Rights of the Child: Frequently Asked Questions",United States Fund for UNICEF

NO: Catherina Hurlburt, from "U.N. Convention on the Rightsof the Child: A Treaty to Undermine the Family", a Policy Paper ofConcerned Women for America

The United States Fund for UNICEF, a United Nations agencyworking for the protection of children's rights, points to thesuccesses that governments around the world have had in using theConvention on the Rights of the Child to promote children's rights andimprove children's lives in general. UNICEF contends that theConvention reinforces parental rights and promotes values and normswith which no one could take issue, such as freedom fromdiscrimination, access to adequate health care, and protection fromphysical harm and abduction. Catherina Hurlburt, a writer forConcerned Women for America (CWFA), maintains that the Convention onthe Rights of the Child gives government more power over children'srights than parents would have. In giving children the right to"express their views freely in all matters", the Convention would, sheargues, usurp parental authority and give children too muchindependence.

ISSUE 10. Should Minors Be Required to Get Their Parents'Permission in Order to Obtain an Abortion?

YES: Teresa Stanton Collett, from Testimony Before theSubcommittee on the Constitution, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S.House of Representatives

NO: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc., from"Fact Sheet: Teenagers, Abortion, and Government Intrusion Laws",Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.,http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/ABORTION/laws.html

Teresa Stanton Collett, professor at South Texas Collegeof Law, testifies in front of the U.S. House of Representatives insupport of the federal Child Custody Protection Act. She advocatesparental involvement in a minor's pregnancy, regardless of the girl'sintention to carry or terminate the pregnancy. Parental involvement,Collett maintains, is not punitive; rather, it offers the girl herselfadditional protection against injury and sexual assault. Minors tendto have less access to information and education than adults; withoutthis information and education, they are not able to provide truly"informed" consent, concludes Collett. Planned Parenthood Federationof America, Inc., the oldest and largest reproductive healthorganization in the United States, argues that parental notificationand consent laws keep girls from exercising their legal right toaccess abortion. Notifying parents of their daughter's intent toterminate a pregnancy puts many girls at risk for severe punishment,expulsion from the home, or even physical violence. PlannedParenthood contends that, just as minors have the power to give theirconsent for other surgical procedures, they should be able to givetheir own consent to terminate a pregnancy.

PART 4. Lesbian and Gay Families

ISSUE 11. Should Same-Sex Couples Be Allowed to MarryLegally?

YES: Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, from "TalkingAbout the Freedom to Marry: Why Same-Sex Couples Should Have Equalityin Marriage", Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund,http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/documents/record?record=47

NO: Robert P. George, from "The 28th Amendment: It Is Time toProtect Marriage, and Democracy, in America", NationalReview

The Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a nationalcivil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenderindividuals, as well as people living with HIV or AIDS, supports theright of two individuals to marry legally, regardless of the gendersof the two people involved. The organization states that same-sexcouples deserve the same social, legal, and financial benefits thatheterosexual couples have. Princeton University professor Robert P.George asserts that marriage has historically been, and ever shouldbe, between a man and a woman. He argues that recognizing a same-sexunion as a legal marriage would destroy the institution of marriage asit has always been known, taking with it the moral values supportingmarriage. A constitutional amendment is, in George's opinion, the onlysure way of protecting the institution of heterosexualmarriage.

ISSUE 12. Should Lesbian and Gay Couples Be Allowed toAdopt?

YES: American Civil Liberties Union, from "ACLU Fact Sheet:Overview of Lesbian and Gay Parenting, Adoption, and Foster Care",American Civil Liberties Union,http://www.aclu.org/issues/gay/parent.html

NO: Timothy J. Dailey, from "Homosexual Parenting: PlacingChildren at Risk", Insight

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organizationthat works to preserve the individual rights and liberties of allAmericans, points to a growing area of scientific literature thatmaintains that children who are raised by one or two lesbian or gayparents are just as well off as children who are raised byheterosexual parents. Findings demonstrate, they say, that parents'sexual orientation has no bearing on their ability to raise a child,or on a child's own sexual orientation or gender identity--nor does itaffect children's emotional development or educational abilities.Timothy J. Dailey, senior writer/analyst for cultural studies for theFamily Research Council, points to studies showing that children domuch better in family settings that include both a mother and a fatherand that the sexual behaviors same-sex parents engage in make them, bydefinition, inappropriate role models for children. He maintains thatthe purpose of a marriage is to create children biologically and thatsince a gay or lesbian couple cannot do this without outsideassistance, they do not make suitable parents.

PART 5. Miscellaneous Relationship Issues

ISSUE 13. Should People Not Cohabit Before GettingMarried?

YES: David Popenoe and Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, from "ShouldWe Live Together? What Young Adults Need to Know About CohabitationBefore Marriage: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Research", 2d ed., AReport of the National Marriage Project

NO: Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller, from "What the ResearchReally Says About Cohabitation", A Report of the Alternatives toMarriage Project

David Popenoe and Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, codirectors ofthe National Marriage Project, assert that living together beforemarriage can contribute to a higher chance of divorce down the line,leads to less satisfying relationships, and is contributing to adeterioration in society's regard for the institution of marriage.Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller, cofounders of the Alternatives toMarriage Project, maintain that our society overemphasizes marriage,discriminating against people who wish to commit to another person andremain unmarried.

ISSUE 14. Do Women and Men Communicate Differently?

YES: Philip Yancey, from "Do Men and Women Speak the SameLanguage?" Marriage Partnership

NO: Mary Crawford, from Talking Difference: On Gender andLanguage

Philip Yancey, editor at large of ChristianityToday, asserts that communication styles are different betweenmen and women. He argues that in heterosexual relationships, partnersare likely to fulfill stereotypical expectations of how men and womenare supposed to communicate due to their upbringing and culture. MaryCrawford, director of the Women's Studies Program at the University ofConnecticut, also states that communication styles are learned.However, she discusses the idea that young people are aware of theselessons and that fulfilling the expected communication stereotypeswithin heterosexual couples can lead to unsatisfying relationships,for women in particular.

PART 6. Public Policy Issues

ISSUE 15. Should Prostitution Be Legal?

YES: James Bovard, from "Safeguard Public Health: LegalizeContractual Sex", Insight on the News

NO: Anastasia Volkonsky, from "Legalizing the `Profession'Would Sanction the Abuse", Insight on the News

Author James Bovard writes about the potential benefits oflegalizing prostitution, such as increased human rights protectionsand health precautions. He argues that legalizing prostitution woulddecriminalize it, thereby reducing the criminal practices of rape andother abuses. Author and researcher Anastasia Volkonsky writes thatprostitution itself is a human rights violation for every person whosells her or his body and sexual behaviors for money. She does notbelieve that legalization will reduce the incidences of abuse or otherillegal activities, nor will it guarantee that either prostitute orcustomer would comply with laws pertaining to commercial sexwork.

ISSUE 16. Is Court-Ordered Child Support Doing More Harm ThanGood?

YES: Stephen Baskerville, from "This Engine of the DivorceIndustry Is Destroying Families and the Constitution", Insight onthe News

NO: Geraldine Jensen, from "Child Support Fights Poverty forMillions of Kids and Helps Families Get Off Welfare", Insight onthe News

Stephen Baskerville, teacher and spokesperson for Men,Fathers, and Children International, contends that the current stateof the divorce "industry" discriminates against fathers, punishingthose who have done nothing wrong along with those who have abusedtheir children or broken other laws. He argues that the systemrelating to child support enforcement is corrupt and that it is fueledby individuals who make money by the fees they charge for theirservices. Geraldine Jensen, president of the Association for Childrenfor Enforcement of Support, maintains that without court-ordered childsupport, children and families would remain dependent on welfarepayments. She asserts that fathers deserve support as well but thatcollection of child support belongs with the federal governmentthrough the IRS to avoid overburdening child welfare agencies and thejudicial system.

ISSUE 17. Should Health Insurers Be Required to Pay forInfertility Treatments?

YES: Diane D. Aronson, from "Should Health Insurers Be Forcedto Pay for Infertility Treatments? Yes", Insight on theNews

NO: Merrill Matthews, Jr., from "Should Health Insurers BeForced to Pay for Infertility Treatments? No", Insight on theNews

Diane D. Aronson, executive director of RESOLVE, theNational Infertility Association, argues that reproduction is aninherent right, and therefore the inability to become or cause apregnancy should be covered by health insurance just as any otherphysical or mental challenge that inhibits a major life activity.Merrill Matthews, Jr., vice president of domestic policy at theNational Center for Policy Analysis, asserts that mandating coverageof infertility treatment, a costly process, would unfairly burdensubscribers whose rates would go up to help offset these costs, aswell as small businesses that are not insured under the EmployeeRetirement Income Security Act (ERISA) as are largebusinesses.

ISSUE 18. Should Male Prison Inmates Be Allowed to FatherChildren?

YES: Myron H. Bright, from Majority Opinion, WilliamGerber v. Roderick Hickman, U.S. Court of Appeals for the NinthCircuit

NO: Barry G. Silverman, from Dissenting Opinion, WilliamGerber v. Roderick Hickman, U.S. Court of Appeals for the NinthCircuit

Federal Court of Appeals judge Myron H. Bright cites pastSupreme Court decisions to demonstrate that prison inmates retaincertain constitutional rights even though they have broken the law.This includes, he asserts, the right to procreate. Federal Court ofAppeals judge Barry G. Silverman cites constitutional precedence toargue that while inmates have a right to marriage, the Constitutiondoes not guarantee the right to conjugal visits. As a result, theright to procreate is reserved as a future right that can be fulfilledonce an inmate has served his or her time for crimescommitted.

ISSUE 19. Should Congress Facilitate TransracialAdoptions?

YES: Darlene Addie Kennedy, from "End the Foster-Care Ordealfor Black Children", Insight on the News

NO: Ruth G. McRoy, from "Lower Barriers to Black AdoptiveFamilies", Insight on the News

Author Darlene Addie Kennedy states that race andethnicity are less important in foster and adoption decisions thanstrong parenting skills and the capacity to love and care for a child.She responds to concerns of opponents to transracial adoption withstudies indicating positive adjustments by children raised by parentswhose race, culture, or ethnicity was different from theirs. ProfessorRuth G. McRoy contends that there are many more adoptive parents ofcolor waiting to adopt children of their same race, ethnicity, orculture but that social service agencies are actively inhibiting theprocess from taking place. Institutional biases, she argues, as wellas personal preconceptions by some social service professionals aboutrace, ethnicity, culture, and parenting issues, impede parents ofcolor from adopting the children they seek.

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