Democratic Prez Hopeful Dodd: "What if Your Child Were Gay?"

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) is bringing some humanity into the presidential debate around gay rights. In New Hampshire, he addressed high school students and told them that people arguing against gay marriage or civil unions should ask themselves just one question: What would you do if your child were gay?

According to the AP, Dodd—who is the father of 2-year-old and 5-year-old girls—said he would not be bothered his daughters grew up to become lesbian. However, he hopes they would have the opportunity to enjoy marriage-like rights. "They may grow up as a different sexual orientation than their parents. How would I want my child to be treated if they were of a different sexual orientation?"

Dodd does not support same-sex marriage but does support civil unions. At Concord High School, he was asked to explain the difference: "I don't think probably much in people's minds. If you're allowing that, all the protections you have there, you've covered it."

Some quick background: Civil unions are available in Dodd's home state of Connecticut and, just yesterday, as Dodd spoke in Concord, the New Hampshire House of Representatives easily passed a civil unions bill. It's also worth noting that Dodd's position on civil unions goes beyond the standard Democratic presidential talking points—the Connecticut Democrat also supports amending the Defense of Marriage Act to allow civil unions created at the state level to have the full parity of benefits at the federal level.

Dodd asks: What if Your Child Were Gay? [AP]

You May Want to Read ...

• News: New Hampshire Civil Unions [R20]
• Chris Dodd: Amend DOMA [Pam Spaulding]

Comments

[Mel Smith]

Yes, I like Dodd's position on the topic. Rudy Giuliani made a statement in relation to supporting civil unions for gay people; he said it was "the American thing to do." In addition, I think(although I will double check my sources) Giuliani lived with an interracial gay couple, during his divorce proceedings.

[Kellee]

As much I want to say "Hooray" for supporting civil unions--it is not marriage and we should not be satisfied until that constitutional right is granted for all tax paying citizens-gay and straight.

I am glad that candidates are openly talking about it, but damn, nothing that Giulianni can say means anything. Gay people can't marry, but he can cheat on his wife and get married 3 times?

[Mark]

If we gays want the same word applied in the civil arena to our pairings as is applied to hetero pairings, while most of the religious community sees "marriage" as a solemnification of reproduction, and therefore only open to pairs who can produce children:

then, perhaps the solution is to take the word "marriage" out of the civil arena completely, and have the state call all pairings "civil unions" (whether homo or hetero) and leave it up to the churches to celebrate "marriages" for whomever they like.

[Karim]

Dodd is right on the money. He deserves a serious look as President.

[Mark]

Like I have always said, if the focus was more on Civil Unions and not so much on the word Marriage we could get a lot further with the cause. Plus, we would have the same rights, with "our own" label.