- APA SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE
JULY 30, 2004
> Psychologists Support Gay Marriage
>
> The American Psychological Association (APA) Council of Representatives
> approved a resolution yesterday calling for the legalization of same-sex
> marriages in the United States. Alongside this call, the group also called for
> eliminating discrimination in adoption, parental, and reproductive rights for
> GLBT individuals and couples.
>
> The APA is the largest professional organization for psychologists both in the
> U.S. and the world. The group has previously called for better parental
> rights, going back to 1976, and for benefits for same-sex couples going back
> to 1998.
>
> The resolution passed included the following text:
> "[T]he APA believes that it is unfair and discriminatory to deny same-sex
> couples legal access to civil marriage and to all its attendant benefits,
> rights, and privileges."
>
> The resolution also called upon the organization's 150,000 members to take a
> leadership role in seeking marriage rights for same-sex couples.
>
> The resolution was crafted by a seven member working group appointed earlier
> this year to evaluate research on same-sex relationships. The resolution the
> group presented referred to significant research that indicates no negative
> impacts of same-sex marriage on families and society as a whole.
>
> "The APA recognizes the importance of the institution of civil marriage which
> confers a social status with important legal benefits, rights and privileges,"
> Armand R. Cerbone, chair of the working group, said in a statement.
> "Discrimination of all kinds takes a toll on people's health and psychological
> well being. In the context of the huge social and political debate that is
> currently going on, APA and psychologists had to grapple with the issue of
> what psychology believes is in the public interest in this controversy."
>
> The approval of the resolution met with condemnation from some conservative
> groups, including Liberty Counsel, which has been active in court cases
> seeking to prevent and challenge same-sex marriage.
>
> "The APA understands that marriage is just as good for our families as it is
> for others," said rights organization Human Rights Campaign's President Cheryl
> Jacques. "Based on years of research, the group has found that the well-being
> of a child is unrelated to sexual orientation. In fact, the difference between
> parents like myself and my partner and opposite-sex parents is that we don't
> have the rights and protections of marriage while others do. This statement
> makes clear that there's no sound reason for any disparity."
