Well Nerd and SRS, here's two credible articles supporting the kid's claim above. No, she did not see it on Hillary Swank - she and her peers see it up close and personal every day in the schoolyard. I belabour the point only because I spent years of my life supervising the playgrounds at my kid's schools, and I know she's speaking the truth.

Youth and Violence

Health and Welfare Canada

Here's a quote from each.

Violence is pervasive in society. Not only do many young people live with violence in intimate relationships, but all young people live with an abundance of media images of violence - of situations where people abuse power and control.

The social construct of gender in our society perpetuates the opportunity for abuse of power.

Attitudes toward sexuality are not always positive and celebratory.
There are many "isms" operating within organizations - racism, sexism and heterosexism.

Young males who are victims are often alienated.

Attitudes towards young people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual often alienate them from existing services and help. "Gay, lesbian or bisexual young people who are on the street are not served by the agencies for at-risk youth because often these agencies are homophobic. The shelters, the drug programs and the child welfare system are not safe for these kids.

And from the Youth and Violence article;

Only a small minority of youth commit violent crimes. Contrary to popular opinion, most violent young people most often victimize young friends or acquaintances, not adults or strangers ... The most common victims of youth violence are: peers, including girlfriends, boyfriends and other young people; family members, including siblings and parents; and members of ethnocultural groups or sexual minorities (homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals).

For those who wish to argue that homosexuality does not render people barren and sterile, I'd like to make it clear that I was referring to NATURAL, not artificial means of producing offspring. Nature, politically incorrect as "She" notoriously is, does indeed render gays and lesbians barren and sterile, at least on this planet.

And I say again ... perhaps there is a not-so-hidden message in this?

I'd also like to make it clear that I, for one, do not equate the laws of nature with the "wrath of god", but if it pleases some of you to do so, then so be it.

And now, one last attempt to empathize with my teenage friend above and maybe soften some scientific hearts and open some politically correct (but perhaps a tad clouded) neural passageways ....

... I ask you sincerely, would you personally want to be adopted by a homosexual couple as a helpless babe, to face a lifetime of pervasive social ostracism and potential violence? As for me, NOT ON YOUR (WHATEVERSEXUAL) LIFE !!!

Again, I think the teenager I quoted above is right. If we waited for a decade or so until people are at least more comfortable with the idea of "uncloseted" gays, and homosexual marriage is old news, these children would be a lot less at risk.

But hey, perhaps there's a great line-up of Souls just waiting to be incarnated as the children of homosexuals in this oh-so-kindly-and-enlightened age (NOT!), in order to balance their karma or something.
In every cloud there's a ....

oh forget it, and thanks for listening to my musings ...

daylia