Same-sex marriage is harming children. And the Supreme Court bears responsibility.
Ten years after the Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision to redefine marriage in the name of "equality," evidence is pouring in that children have become the collateral damage of adult-centered social experiments.
As Katy Faust, Founder and President of Them Before Us, a pro-child organization, put it: "Ask the children who have been starved of maternal or paternal love, acquired by predators, mass produced, trafficked across borders, struggling with identity confusion, or subjected to risky households if they feel 'equal' now."
We might add to that the increasingly dark world of surrogacy.
That grim reality is why CatholicVote joined the Greater Than campaign, a coalition formed by Them Before Us to speak for children and families who have suffered since the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Those seeking to redefine marriage told us it was simply about leaving others alone to live as they choose. But that is not what happened. Americans are regularly pressured to not only tolerate, but to publicly affirm and promote a vision of sexuality and marriage that they know to be harmful.
And, above all, it is children who are paying the price.
Greater Than seeks to:
1. Reframe marriage policy around the parent-child relationship
2. Emphasize the harmful effects of so-called same-sex marriage
3. Mobilize Christian churches to advocate for legal change
We support all of the above. The time has come to revisit the Obergefell ruling with the courage required to correct a profound national mistake.
Marriage is not for the Supreme Court to define. God already did that. And civilizations need to heed it to flourish.
Go forward bravely,
Kelsey Reinhardt President & CEO, CatholicVote
Paid for by CatholicVote Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) organization, PO Box 3310, Carmel, IN 46082 (317) 669-6127
Welcome. This week, cold-stunned turtles and booming EV fast chargers. But first, stop taking the elevator. Your life depends on it.
The double helix Bramante staircase in the Vatican Museum. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Every year, I climb to the top of Everest. It's no big deal. I take it one step at a time, 80,000 steps per year. By the time Dec. 31 arrives, I calculated, I have ascended at least seven vertical miles, carrying loads roughly equal to the weight of three pickup trucks, mostly composed of laundry, groceries and small children.
You see, I live on the top floor of a duplex.
Public health messaging has convinced us that the only way to work out is "exercising." Yet for most of human history, of course, living was exercise. Humans got most — if not all — of the physical activity needed to stay healthy through natural movement in their daily lives.
After a half-century asking us to exercise more, doctors and physiologists say we have been thinking about it wrong. U.S. and World Health Organization guidelines no longer specify a minimum duration of moderate or vigorous aerobic activity.
Movement tracking studies show even tiny, regular bursts of effort — as short as 30 seconds — can capture many of the health benefits of the gym. Climbing two to three flights of stairs a few times per day could change your life. Experts call it VILPA, or vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity.
"The message now is that all activity counts," said Martin Gibala, a professor and chair of the kinesiology department at McMaster University in Canada. And perhaps nothing's better than stairs.
Watch cold-stunned sea turtles off the Texas coast rescued by crews partnering with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department after a blast of cold weather.
Learning Curve
Ghost forests are growing along the East Coast. More than 11 million dead trees, between South Carolina and Maine, show where saltier water is making its way into coastal woodlands as the climate warms and sea levels rise. The salt water poisons and slowly kills the trees. See how aerial imagery is revealing the ocean's relentless rise.
The Second Degree
Last week, I wrote about how I cracked the code on my toddler's screen time after holding out for more than three years.
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You wrote with your own suggestions.
Sarah of Olympia, Washington, recommended audiobooks through her library. "They have been essential for our family," she wrote. "Now, we can go on 2000+ mile road trips and everyone is quiet to listen to the story." She also recommended checking out "Playaway tablets" from the library: preloaded devices with apps organized by age and topic (reading, math, geography, spelling, engineering and others) that work without internet connections.
Devices don't need to be a substitute for kids going outside, connecting with family or roaming without their parents, but some argued no screens are necessary. "We have road tripped to 30 states in four years, most of the East Coast and Midwest," wrote one reader. "Not once have they held a tablet in the car their entire lives. We play road games, read books, argue over the radio, it's a good time!"
On the Climate Front
From The Post:
Trump's biggest climate rollback stalls over fear of losing in court.
plus Target finds - From the trending to the timeless, Refine offers inspiring articles and the best advice in style, health, food, culture, relationships, and more.
Seeking signs of hope among young Americans
More and more young people are choosing traditional values. This renewal of culture starts at the crux of Christianity.
Social media often portrays traditional femininity with pictures of women lounging while they journal and sip tea. But is this an accurate portrayal of what it means to rest?
While conservatives often praise the work of stay-at-home mothers, author Lane Scott makes the case that not everyone realizes why the vocation is challenging.
In the aftermath of MeToo, a global pandemic, and the widespread use of dating apps, many young people simply never learned how to flirt. The Art of Manliness gives some pointers on good, old-fashioned charm.
Real Simple rounded up 12 Target new arrivals, all under $40, that work for everything from date night to Galentine's plans.
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Refine celebrates authentic, human flourishing through truth, beauty, and good living. From the trending to the timeless, Refine offers inspiring articles and the best advice in style, health, food, culture, relationships, and more.
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