Missing data

Tim Hopkins, in supporting same-sex “marriage”, claims “the research shows that same-sex parents do as good a job of bringing up their children as mixed-sex parents” (Letters, 20 September).

What research is this? Studies by Biblarz and Stacey (Journal of Marriage and Family, 2010) tell us “Comparable research on intentional gay fatherhood has scarcely commenced”, finding only one study “that compared gay male with lesbian or heterosexual adoptive parenting”.

Children do need both their mothers and their fathers, and fathers make distinct contributions to the well-being of children. Mr Hopkins should know that, regardless of legal standing, mothers and fathers are not interchangeable. Redefining marriage will require us to say that they are.

Ian Maxfield

Roberton

Biggar