People who have concerns about the adoption of children by
gay couples are 'retarded homophobes', the state-funded national
adoption agency said yesterday.
Those who protest over controversial gay adoption laws are
merely 'whinging', according to the British Association for
Adoption and Fostering.
Its insulting description angered senior MPs and former Cabinet
Ministers, Roman Catholic and Church of England leaders.
It also offended disability campaigners, who have been trying
to discourage the use of the word 'retarded' for years. Whitehall
has banned the word for civil servants.
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Many of those who are worried about gay adoption say that
approving same-sex relationships goes against their Christian
faith.
Mike Judge, of the Christian Institute thinktank, said last
night: 'Christians are tired of being marginalised.
'We don't expect everyone to agree with us but organisations
such as the BAAF should try to avoid this kind of language.'
Tory MP Julian Brazier, co-chairman of the all-party Commons
group on adoption and fostering, said: 'I work with BAAF all
the time and I know how much they bring to adoption.
Disappointed: Tory MP Julian Brazier is 'very sad' the BAAF
used language such as 'retarded homophobes'
'I must say I am very sad that they should use this language
about people who have an honest disagreement with them.'
