Are mothers and fathers dispensable?
No. Mothers and fathers are indispensable. Of course, there are situations where a child is not able to have a mother and a father. However, there’s a difference with intentionally depriving a child of a mother a father and thus effectively saying that mothers and fathers are dispensable. Two men or two women can never replace the unique roles of a mother and a father. Only a woman can be a mother. Only a man can be a father. These are not arbitrary roles able to be adequately filled by any person. Sexual difference is essential here. And remember, it’s not just a biological difference (see above). Mothering and fathering are vital to the authentic personal formation of the child. Mothers and fathers also have unique responsibilities that deserve the protection of the state. Attempts to redefine marriage to include persons of the same sex relativize and dismiss the unique and necessary place of mothers and fathers in the family and in society.
