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Dr.
Kyle Pruett, PhD is a well-respected professor of child
psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. He is also
the author of Fatherneed: Why Father Care Is as Essential
as Mother Care for Your Child.
In
December 2006, James Dobson twisted and "cherry-picked"
Pruett's scholarly work in a guest column he penned in
TIME Magazine. Dobson misrepresented his research in an
effort to smear gay families while discussing Mary Cheney's
pregnancy. In a powerful letter to Dobson, Pruett demanded
that he "not quote from my research in your media
campaigns, personal or corporate, without previously securing
my
permission."
_____________________________________________________________________________
Dr.
Dobson,
I
was startled and disappointed to see my work referenced
in the current Time Magazine piece in which you opined
that social science, such as mine, supports your convictions
opposing lesbian and gay parenthood. I write now to insist
that you not quote from my research in your media campaigns,
personal or corporate, without previously securing my
permission.
You
cherry-picked a phrase to shore up highly (in my view)
discriminatory purposes. This practice is condemned in
real science, common though it may be in pseudo-science
circles. There is nothing in my longitudinal research
or any of my writings to support such conclusions. On
page 134 of the book you cite in your piece, I wrote,
"What we do know is that there is no reason for concern
about the development or psychological competence of children
living with gay fathers. It is love that binds relationships,
not sex."
Kyle
Pruett, M.D.
Yale School of Medicine
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