Letter: Must mother be female?

The issues raised by gay parenting are more complex than Ms Franklin suggests. Surrogate motherhood does raise serious ethical questions, and it is true that the child concerned will have no contact with her natural mother. This does not, on the other hand, greatly distinguish her from the many children no longer brought up in "normal" nuclear families. It is also likely that the child will face hostility outside her family home. Should a similar argument then be used to advocate a ban on parenting by British Africans, Jews, the unemployed, or anyone else who could be regarded as socially inferior?

Anyone belonging to a social group perceived as "abnormal" will know that there are plenty of opportunities in life to learn about intolerance and contempt.If Ms Franklin has no response to this other than to give in to it, I suggest she save some of her sympathy for herself.

Ian MacDonald

Twickenham, London