AUGUSTA Speakers representing Maine's leading child welfare professionals gathered at the State House this morning to show their unified support for a legislative proposal ending marriage discrimination against same sex couples in Maine.

Each speaker stressed that children of gay and lesbian couples will benefit when their parents can join in marriage.  They said that children are often vulnerable when their parents are denied the many legal benefits of civil marriage. These children often lack equal access to health insurance and can face a sudden loss of benefits and financial support if one parent dies, as well as the as the social stigma that children feel when their parents' relationship seems of unequal status to others.

 "Extending marriage equality to same sex couples will benefit children and will provide them with the same protections currently available to other families," said Catherine Stakeman, Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers, Maine chapter.

The speakers also emphasized that children thrive when they are raised with loving, committed parents, regardless of their sexual orientation.  Dr. David Lilly of Freeport, speaking on behalf of the 600 members of the Maine Chapter of the American Psychological Association, described the extensive research that has been done on gay and lesbian parenting.

"Our national association, has concluded that 'There is no scientific evidence that parenting effectiveness is related to parental sexual orientation: Lesbian and gay parents are as likely as heterosexual parents to provide supportive and healthy environments for their children flourish,'" said Dr. Lilly. "The data show what most parents know from experience: it is the quality of parenting, the relationship of the parents to one another and the relationships of the parents to their children, that is important."

Also speaking at the press conference was Dr. Daniel Summers, an Augusta pediatrician speaking for the Maine Chapter of the American Pediatric Association, which represents 200 pediatricians caring for 200,000 Maine children.

"We believe that the love, support and devotion of gay and lesbian parents is no different from the love, support and devotion of other couples, and that children can and do thrive in both kinds of families," said Dr. Summers.

Nationally, professional groups including the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers and the American Psychiatric Association, have all issued statements supporting marriage equality for same sex couples. 

Elinor Goldberg, the President and CEO of Maine Children's Alliance, kicked off the press conference by describing how MCA relies on data to develop policies on what is good for Maine children.  Concluding that marriage equality provides crucial benefits for families and their children, Goldberg stressed that many children in Maine face challenges from poverty, and that extending marriage benefits would help strengthen Maine families with gay and lesbian parents.

"Children living in poverty, without enough to eat and lack of enough quality, affordable child care and health care - these are the real challenges facing Maine kids and their families," said Goldberg. "These are complex issues and in these tough financial times it is even more difficult for us to fix these issues, but we are responsible as a community to improve what and where we can!"   

Other groups represented at the press conference included the Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians.

The child welfare experts were speaking out in support of LD 1020, a bill introduced by Sen. Dennis Damon, (D-Hancock) that would extend marriage rights to qualified same sex couples, as well as recognize those marriages performed in other states. It also affirms the right of religions to control their own practices regarding marriage.

LD 1020 has been referred to the Judiciary Committee and is scheduled for a public hearing at Cony High School at 9 a.m. Friday, April 24.