Tell the NY Post “Evil Lesbian Mom” Is Insulting

Not that I expect fine journalism from the New York Post, but this goes beyond acceptability:

“EVIL LESBIAN MOM LEFT TODDLER TO DIE SLOW DEATH: DA” blares the headline. The story is a tragic one, of child abuse and neglect. A New York mother is accused of abandoning her 23-month-old son to death after he was beaten by her partner. The partner is currently serving a 15-years-to-life prison sentence for the murder.

If the women did what they are accused of, then they indeed they deserve whatever sentence they get for the horrible act. The fact of their being lesbian has nothing to do with it, however, any more than sexual orientation has to do with the many cases of child abuse perpetrated by straight couples. As Terrance said so well in his Poisonous Parenting series:

The point isn’t that heterosexuals hurt children. The point isn’t that gay people hurt children. The point isn’t that being heterosexual automatically makes you a good or bad parent. The point isn’t that being gay automatically makes you a good or bad parent. The point isn’t that being heterosexual automatically makes you a good or bad person. It’s not that being gay automatically makes you a good or bad person.

The point is that we are equal, and that means having equal capacity for good and bad. Because we are equally human.

Update, 7:35p.m.: GLAAD has released a media alert on this one, and notes: “After GLAAD contacted editors at the New York Post, its representatives refused to change the offensive headline on its website.”

GLAAD gives contact information as follows:

Laura Italiano
Reporter
New York Post
laura.italiano@nypost.com

Michelle Gotthelf
Metro Editor
New York Post
mgotthelf@nypost.com

Sure, the Post thinks they can take on evil lesbian moms. Wait until they see what happens when they take on the good ones.