KINSEY LEGACY

USA Today (February 17, 2003) reports that same-sex couples are redefining family law. Same-sex couples who have adopted a child or who have relied on a surrogate donor or mother to have a child for them are posing real problems to family courts. Custody, parental rights, benefits, sodomy (between members of the same sex) laws, flexibility in parenting roles, adoption, and many other issues are confounding the courts. The American Law Institute recently called for “sweeping changes” in family law. The American Law Institute is the group responsible for changing Kansas law in 1969-70 dealing with sexual behavior and penalties. The changes, meant to “codify, simplify and clarify” the law have resulted in sweeping escalation in the number of rapes, abuses against children, out-of-wedlock births, abortions, sexually-transmitted diseases and a general breakdown of the moral culture. Perhaps law leads the culture instead of the other way around? Relaxations of the laws concerning human sexuality have not helped the most vulnerable of our citizens . . . women and children. They have put them at more risk.