And on Christmas Day too.

SIr Elton becomes a “father”

As Terry Wogan might say “Is it just me?”

Thats a bit mean and judgemental. There are loads of people who would make worse fathers, and some of them live on your street. Good luck to them and their new family ! Kid won’t be short of fancy dress costumes when it gets older.

Don’t judge. There’s nothing to say the child won’t be happy, loved and content.

I’m sure the child will be much loved but at 62 it’s a tad selfish

What’s wrong here? There’s plenty of fathers at 60. Are they incapable or something??

Why the quotes atoms “father” – he either is or he isn’t. It’s not difficult.

Rachel

Gay couple in adoption/being allowed to have a baby shocker. 😯 whatever next????!!!!!

Old news, who cares. They have as much right as you or I do. Get over it.

I thought Elton John came across as a really nice guy on the Live Aid documentary. I can’t stand his music but I expect he hates mine too 😀 go for it Elton. At least the kid won’t want for much.

i like elton………….good luck to em i say.

They have as much right as you or I do.

Are you sure that it is a “right”?

So far as I can see, they would be nowhere near the top of the list if they wanted to go through normal adoption channels in the UK. Leaving aside the issue of whether it might be good for a child to have a female “mother” figure to run to as it grows up, they are both knocking on a bit, and Elton at least has not been without a few problems in his personal life that would lead me to question very strongly whether he would be a good parent.

But it seems that it is OK for them to effectively go to the US and “buy” a baby.

How might that make the child feel when he finds out about what happened in later life?

And BTW, I don’t think it is a question of whether Elton is “nice” or not.

I suppose, but then, what’s to have stopped him wandering into a seedy club on a Saturday night and having a one night stand in order to get a girl pregnant, I know a few girls who have used that approach, could You argue that that was any more ‘morally’ right? He is physically able to father a child so why shouldn’t he. Lots of heterosexual couples use surrogates too. They might have gone down the surrogacy route because they weren’t able to adopt, so what? But they can afford to make sure that their baby can be genetically One of theirs and chose who carries their child. Aside from a flimsy article you’ve read you know nothing about why they chose to use a surrogate or their ability to raise a child so why the need to post on an Internet forum? Other than to raise an argument.

So what’s the question then, rightplacerighttime??

emma,

I wouldn’t be in favour of him wandering into a seedy club and having a one night stand either.

Why do you think that citing some circumstances that would be worse than those we are presented with is relevant?

Why do you imagine that my discomfort is just to do with the fact that they are a gay couple?

Actually I think that is certainly an issue, but I’m more concerned about their age, their lifestyle and the fact that they seem to have chosen to “buy” a baby.

And as far as their “rights” go, I couldn’t give a stuff – I’m actually more interested in the rights of the child.

Why the need to post on an Internet forum?

To see if my reaction was in step with my peers. Isn’t that one of the things that internet forums are good for?

Rachel – I had a friend who had her child at the age of 40 – dad was 60. A blessing in some respects but I watched dad struggle to cope daily – he looked after the child whilst mum worked. Lovely couple and child and i’m sure all were glad the family had grown.

However bringing up a child is challenging at the best of times and I personally think 60 is too old. Dad died when the boy was 10.

Each to their own but it’s a shame Mr J and D didn’t decide earlier

But they can afford to make sure that their baby can be genetically One of theirs and chose who carries their child

Is it morally right because they can afford to do this- buy a baby?

allthegear

The question is whether they are fit to be parents. In my book that means more than deciding if they are “nice”

Personally I am deeply suspicious of anyone who decided to circumvent the normal adoption procedures or UK surrogacy procedures by going abroad. In particular, in California there are far fewer restrictions on surrogacy than in the UK – ie it is OK not just to cover expenses, but to pay the surrogate mother however much you like.

Old news, who cares. They have as much right as you or I do. Get over it.

They may indeed have the right to do it, but having the right to do something doesn’t always make it right to do!

Todays society is very tied in up in having “rights” and sometime we all can be guilty of switching our brain off at that point!

Case in point are the recent cases of the Christian workers who have been sacked, etc because they have expressed their personal views to someone in the workplace and then have been disciplined for it!

Which is hard to comprehend in a country were rights and free speech are supposed to be protected, yet if you give your opinion on something you can be done for it?

I make that point, not to come in on the Christian side, but from any side, people should be allowed to make their personal beliefs known in a safe and free way, without threat of reprisal.

The rest of us are thereafter allowed to choose our own decision on it and live with the consequences

As a matter of interest, who in their relationship is the wife, or do they share the experience?

I just can’t help that think peoples reaction would be different if they were not a gay couple. Different strokes for different folks, it all makes the world go round. Children are born to people for many different reasons. Maybe ‘rights’ isn’t the best word to use granted but I’m sure that their child will have a good quality of life. No one is perfect so no one is fit to judge the situation, that’s my only point really. I’m sure the little one will be fine.

Sorry, didn’t quite mean ‘fit to judge’, but it isn’t really our business as none of us are in their situation. We are all different. People go to amazing lenghths to have a baby, they just don’t seem to be any dofferent to me’ than a couple who go to some foreign country for ivf. I know plenty of people who, if they had the money would do it but sadly they can’t afford to so will never have a child because they are classed as too old.

I just can’t help that think peoples reaction would be different if they were not a gay couple

The issue is not – for the wise on here – an issue of sexuality
This couple could not meet those standards in this country or most/any oter country but they could buy a child and did this…wealth does not make things right.

I’m sure that their child will have a good quality of life.

Based on what ? Elton John’s wealth or do you know the couple personally and know that they’ll be great parents ?

I think it’s plain selfish to have a child at that age and choosing for a child not to have a mother is despicable.

This isn’t about saving a child from poverty or a life of misery, it’s about consumerism.

No wealth doesn’t make a lot of things right but it does make many things possible

I know plenty of people who, if they had the money would do it but sadly they can’t afford to so will never have a child because they are classed as too old.

But quite often people are “classed” as too old because they are actually too old. I know that that means that maybe there will be a bit of injustice in some cases, but personally I don’t think the solution is that anything goes.

Personally I’m not looking forward to the day that 8 year old Zachary comes out dressed as Louis the 14th for his dad’s 70th birthday party, though I’m sure the editors of Hello and OK are already busy pencilling it into their diaries.

Personally I am deeply suspicious of anyone who decided to circumvent the normal adoption procedures or UK surrogacy procedures by going abroad. In particular, in California there are far fewer restrictions on surrogacy than in the UK – ie it is OK not just to cover expenses, but to pay the surrogate mother however much you like

They wouldn’t be allowed in the UK because of Elton’s age, would they? And they have tried to adopt before (in the Ukraine), but again Elton was considered too old and their civil partnership wasn’t regarded as a marriage.

It’s hardly anything new, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have a veritable collection of adopted kids from across the world. Madonna’s got a couple too. Callista Flockhart adopted a kid as a single mother in her late 30s, to which Harrison Ford later became a father to (at the age of 60). It may all be a bit odd to some people, but I can think of worse parents.

but I can think of worse parents

We seem to keep returning to this theme like it’s some kind of justification.

*notes for future reference who the massive homophobes are*

Rightplacerighttime Who are you to judge who’ll make good parents or not? For the record I think Elton John lives in America pretty permanently so he’s not avoiding any rules really, he’s abiding by local ones as far as i can tell. You mention his previous lifestyle, what’s that got to do with anything?

I think statisically gay parents make as much of a success and as much as a failure of raising children as the rest if the population. Personally I think it’s long term stability over most other things that makes a difference. Being the child of loving affectionate responsible people makes for happy families regardless of the sex of parents.

Yes 62 is quite old, but everyones parents die eventually and some ‘before their time’ to accidents and so on. Life goes on, y’know?

notes for future reference who the massive homophobes are

I sincerely hope that that isn’t pointed at anyone for daring to have an opinion on the matter that doesn’t defend the couple 😕

We seem to keep returning to this theme like it’s some kind of justification.

Well, leaving that aside:

Age – yes, could potentially be a bit awkward, or Elton could live another 40 years in good health. Look at Bruce Forsythe, 80 odd and still working and dancing. Yes, the older you get the get the more likely you are to struggle to recover from illness and injury, but Elton will be able to afford the very finest healthcare.

It’s easy to say, “Ah, but older people won’t be able to play runabout with their kids, and will struggle”, but so will fat people. Smokers are more likely to suffer illness and life threatening disease than most, and are more likely to cause damage to their kids with their lifestyle. Where do you draw the line between who should and shouldn’t become parents? If you say, “Well, if they can’t have kids naturally”, does that mean you support a blanket ban on infertile couples adopting, or having IVF or surrogates?

Relationship – they’ve been together for over 15 years, seems pretty stable to me. The gay thing’s a bit of a non-issue in this day and age, surely?

As long as kids have a parent that loves and supports them, and raises them to be a decent human being, does it really matter what flavour they come in?

You mention his previous lifestyle, what’s that got to do with anything?

Are you joking?

Yes 62 is quite old, but everyones parents die eventually and some ‘before their time’

Not many go on to live ‘after their time’ though, do they?

Yes 62 is quite old, but everyones parents die eventually and some ‘before their time’ to accidents and so on. Life goes on, y’know?

Yes, tragically some peoples parents die before there time, but how is this kid going to enjoy doing any of the normal father/son things when his dad will be in his 70s? I worried about our youngest being born when I was 42, but at least he has older siblings to play with too.
I think it’s very selfish to adopt a kid at that age, when the odds are you won’t be around past the childs mid teens.

The gay thing’s a bit of a non-issue in this day and age, surely?

I really don’t know why anyone is bringing sexuality into it. The only time it seems to be mentioned is by those supporting the couple.

My argument is that kids should have a mom, Elton John is a bit old to start a family, money shouldn’t enable you to buy life.

Could be worse, like the British gay couple who are going to the US to have gene therapy to screen their perfect idea of a baby, made it sound like an extra accessory, not a baby no matter what sex it maybe. Lets hpe Elton & David will be good parents.

You mention his previous lifestyle, what’s that got to do with anything?

Oh come on imagne he had a history of abusing children would that matter? The issue is not about his sexuality dont fall into defending him just because he is a gay -this bit shold be a non issue. His age and [previous]lifestyle are the real issue here. Some objetors are homophobes some are not

Elton could live another 40 years in good health

well given hs clean lifestyle and constant excercise regime it does seem likely he will live to be 103 but the average life expectancy is 73.6 for a male so it is unlikely.
trailmonkey what do you mean a mom? a Mother ? are we american now? SO you are not against it re sexuality but they should have a mom – how does that work for gay men then ? sems like you have excluded them to me.

I didn’t know he had a history of abusing children?

trailmonkey what do you mean a mom? a Mother ? are we american now?

Oi, I’ll have you know that a good chunk of the West Midlands were using the term ‘mom’ before the Yanks! 😛

And I wouldn’t agree that kids ‘need’ a mom – my mate was raised by her dad (her mother died when she was 1, her dad remarried when she was in her early 20s), didn’t do her any harm at all. Just like I don’t agree that the mother should automatically get custody in divorce cases – there’s more to being a parent than your gender. I don’t think that being in possession of a penis renders you completely incapable of raising a child without female assistance.

I didn’t know he had a history of abusing children?

He doesn’t, but he has a lot of addictive personality traits – alcohol, cocaine, bulemia, shopaholic etc. These are not insignificant issues.

+ age

+ (I would imagine) the frequent celebrity detachment from reality.

+ (and I’ll add this only in terms of what any kid might feel like as part of any minority group) being a son of a gay couple might throw up a few problems of its own.

Oh come on imagne he had a history of abusing children would that matter?

Oh right so now we’re just making stuff up to cover for the predjudice?

So re-reading all of this it mostly comes down to his age then? And seeing as no one here has any idea how long he’s got Left or how healthy he is it’s really a bit of a non argument

Considering the about of charity work Elton does, I am sure he will be a good parent and roll model, and protect the child against the media and other negative influences, I say the child will be much loved and cherished.