06-20-2003, 11:15 PM
When I did most of my heavy thinking on this issue, I came down to exactly that distinction: there are "groups" without children, and there are "groups" with them. That, as far as the state should be concerned, is all.
As far as people who haven't/can't/won't have children go, I can't see any reason not to lump them all in the same category. And since the children (not the parents) are the relevant subjects in any law governing their wellbeing, I also don't really think it matters what the particular arrangement of parents is. Why should two people raising a child be treated different from one, or six? What matter is their gender? Since adoption, artificial insemination, etc... (cloning, at some point?) enable any group, of any size or composition, to participate in child rearing, why don't our laws reflect that?
The only answer I can ever come up with is the social conservative one; it's tradition. I don't think that holds up.
As far as benefits to childless couples of any composition goes, it only makes sense to me to either allow any semi-permanent cohabitation the same advantages (if we want to encourage it) or no advantages until there are children involved (if we don't).
Jester
As far as people who haven't/can't/won't have children go, I can't see any reason not to lump them all in the same category. And since the children (not the parents) are the relevant subjects in any law governing their wellbeing, I also don't really think it matters what the particular arrangement of parents is. Why should two people raising a child be treated different from one, or six? What matter is their gender? Since adoption, artificial insemination, etc... (cloning, at some point?) enable any group, of any size or composition, to participate in child rearing, why don't our laws reflect that?
The only answer I can ever come up with is the social conservative one; it's tradition. I don't think that holds up.
As far as benefits to childless couples of any composition goes, it only makes sense to me to either allow any semi-permanent cohabitation the same advantages (if we want to encourage it) or no advantages until there are children involved (if we don't).
Jester