for children is to see their parents in a happy, stable relationship. Second-best is to see their parents happy, in short-term relationships or on their own. Worst thing is to see their parents in an unhappy, stable relationship.

It's important for children to have a good relationship with both their parents. This is often much easier after a divorce.

The question of step-parents often leads to conflict, but I don't see where it's harmful to children, unless there are problems of fairness (Cinderella style). Character-forming, certainly.

And if children see a parent in a gay relationship, they may be more likely to see gay marriage as a norm, for sure. (Got a problem with that?) But generally, young people are way ahead of their parents on that question, they are much more likely to see gay marriage as normal.

If your implicit question is : if they have gay parents, are they more likely to be gay? : then my opinion is no, and I think the science tends to support this. But if your question is : if a child turns out to be gay, and they see examples of happily-married gay people, are they more likely to form stable relationships? I think the answer is likely to be yes. And that's great.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II}