The Daily Mail vs Gay Adoption in 2009: Round 3

A letter from the Press Complaints Commission arrived in the post yesterday. Glen wrote to them following their anti-gay adoption articles in early April arguing that the Daily Mail had implied that the children in question had been taken away from their mother for the purpose of being placed with a gay couple. They wrote to explain that they had assessed Glen’s complaint and decided that there was no breach of the Code of Practice. Apparently they think it’s regrettable that the distinction between the processes of removing and placing a child had not been made clearer, but they didn’t think that what the Daily Mail had printed was likely to mislead its readers. Glen was furious, but accepted the decision.

With perfect timing, this afternoon we saw the articles in today’s Daily Mail. Now they have taken offence at the fact that The Pink Guide to Adoption (published by BAAF) refers to people who are against gay adoption as “retarded homophobes”. Needless to say, they must feel alluded to. Once again, there’s an article and a commentary. And once again, the worst thing of all is the comments that their readers (you know, the ones who aren’t being misled according to the Press Complaints Commission) have left.

The article

The comment from the Daily Mail

In fairness, the words in the BAAF book are unfortunate and probably borne of frustration. But the Daily Mail’s response of referring to the BAAF as “The Adoption Nazis” surely is worse than being called a retarded homophobe?

BBC 3 Counties radio had a slot about the issue this afternoon. Simon, a gay adopter who appeared on the programme, did a very good job of providing a positive angle on the story.

Listen here (for a limited time only). The interview starts around minute 36.

The Daily Mail continue their hate campaign against gay adoption

They’re at it again:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1167209/Family-11th-hour-legal-battle-halt-brothers-adoption-gay-couple.html

The fact that they make it seem like taking away a child is a decision that is related to who will eventually look after that child would be funny if it wasn’t so serious. Their readers actually believe what these people write.

We both read the article and it just got us down. I already hated the Daily Mail. Today I hate them even more because they’ve spoilt the wonderful weekend we were having. I feel so sorry for the couple concerned. They’ve been matched with those children and this time should be exciting and memorable for them. Instead, one of the most memorable moments of their life is being ruined by this fascist “newspaper”.

The Daily Mail campaign against gay adoption continues

Sadly, the Daily Mail continues its hate campaign. On Friday they published an attack on the social worker who’s been dealing with the gay adoption case in Scotland. They claim that the social worker threatened the family with refusing contact.

Link to Daily Mail story about the social worker

It would almost be funny if it wasn’t so sad that – whilst defending a heroin addict – they see fit to mention that the social worker has two children by different fathers. But it didn’t end there. Their columnist Peter Hitchens wrote the following piece in his column about how we “gays” have been shown tolerance and we respond with tyranny. Seriously unhinged stuff here.

Link to the Peter Hitchens column

And to top it all, an anonymous millionaire and the Church of Scotland have decided to support the grandparents in a legal battle against the adoption.

Link to article about millionaire support

Thankfully The Independent showed a more balanced view of the issue, even though they decided to turn the issue of how the Daily Mail had reported the story into a left / right politics issue, which I don’t think was the right angle for the story but makes much nicer reading than anything the Daily Mail has published.

Link to The Independent story

The whole thing has been incredible. Over at the New Family Social online discussion it has generated a wave of emails like nothing I have ever seen before. It’s weird, because Glen and I have been through a rollercoaster of emotions which is very similar to what other members describe. After the initial outrage, there’s been sadness about the case and the consequences it may have for the couple involved (and the children, of course) and also our own situations. People have reported a shift in attitude among co-workers and other people they know. I experienced something similar when I told a colleague of mine and she responded saying that it was normal for people to react like that. I also sent an email about the story to a friend who is a Daily Mail reader and she hasn’t even acknowledged it. After the sadness, though, there’s been some feeling of “what are we doing?”, “could this happen to us too if we are matched?” and even some doubts about whether what we are doing is right for the children. I must acknowledge here the beautiful message that one of the NFS members left reassuring everyone that we are doing the right thing, and highlighting her very positive experience as an adopter. And she is absolutely right, of course. Like I said in a message to the NFS board, in a way the issue of gay adoption and the effect that being adopted by a same-sex couple may have on children is similar to children from different ethnic origin or nationality who grow up in, say, a predominantly white environment. They may get bullied or suffer some sort of discrimination because of it, but it doesn't make them or their parents "guilty" of being from a different ethnic origin or nationality. No, it makes those parents and children part of the variety of that community. Just like those parents will need to prepare their children for the fact that some people out there will dislike them for what they are, we will need to prepare our children
for the fact that some people (Daily Mail readers, it turns out) will
disapprove of their parents (not them).

Anyway, we also heard from Miranda on Friday. She said she’d been working on our report and she’ll be in touch this week. So here’s hoping we have some positive news to report soon!

Daily Mail articles on gay adoption

Nothing like writing that there wasn’t much to report yesterday for all hell to break loose regarding gay adoption. Yesterday, the Daily Mail (for anyone outside the UK it’s a very conservative paper that disguises itself as “family oriented”) published a story (in inimitable style) about how the parents of a heroin addict have not been allowed to adopt their grandchildren and instead they’ve been matched with a gay couple:

Link to the Daily Mail story

Needless to say, the reporting is completely one-sided and of course misses out on why the grandparents haven’t been allowed to adopt, for which I am sure there are very good reasons.

Today it was followed up by this piece:

Link to the Daily Mail follow-up story

In both cases, the worst thing are the comments left by Daily Mail readers, many of whom start their comments with “I’m not a homophobe BUT...” and proceed to leave completely homophobic comments.

The Pink Paper also reported the story today, alas with an altogether different slant:

Link to the Pink Paper report on the same story

And Stonewall have issued a response expressing their deep concern about how the Daily Mail has reported the issue.

Link to Stonewall response

I actually had tears in my eyes when I read the Daily Mail piece. Just when you think that you live in a world that may accept you, it’s heartbreaking to find such homophobia and bigotry.