NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has told Supreme Court that children raised by same-sex parents may have limited exposure to traditional gender role models impacting their understanding of gender roles and identity. The commission was opposing the pleas seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage.
NCPCR has further said it expects the outcome of the pleas to have repercussions on the provision of “Prospective Adoptive Parents” under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Contending that allowing adoption to same-sex couple is akin to endangering children, NCPCR in the application filed through Advocate Swarupama Chaturvedi has said, “The existing legal system concerning children does not envision same-sex couples having custody over/adopting children. While making an adoption, the health safety and education of the child are of paramount importance. When it comes to the adoption by a couple of same-sex, there are relevant studies to show that the child is affected in both social and psychological aspects.”
Alleging that the right to equality doesn’t mean equalising unequals, NCPCR in the application has said that, “Couple being two different genders are one category whereas couple having same gender can be considered as a different category for the purpose of having children and it is the humble submission of NCPCR that the same is well within the contours of the principles laid down by this Hon'ble Court regarding the right to equality.”