The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

No link between gays, population declines

Suri Rajan, the SIUC professor who wrote a recent guest column for the Daily Egyptian, seems to believe that declining birth rates in developed and developing countries, along with acceptance of gay and lesbian couples as equals, will lead to slow but certain extinction of the human race. His belief could not be farther from the truth.

World population is increasing faster than ever. The population of the United States alone has increased by nearly half in the last thirty-five years. Most developing and undeveloped countries have higher birthrates than the United States does.

But the granting to gay men and lesbians of rights and privileges that the heterosexual majority has enjoyed for years has nothing to do with a perceived surfeit or deficit in population. Allowing same-sex partners of gay and lesbian SIU employees to take advantage of the same health benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy is only a small step in recognizing the equality of one sexual orientation with the other.

Few, if any, people consciously decide which sex they are attracted to. As far as anyone knows, sexual orientation is a product of nature and nurture and is established long before sexual activity begins.

Many heterosexual couples never have children or do not have children in their homes while one partner takes advantage of spousal health benefits. On the other hand, many homosexual couples do have children, whether from a previous relationship, adoption, or surrogate motherhood. Sexual orientation does not affect one's desire to reproduce or raise children. Some homosexual couples adopt children who otherwise would not be raised in a loving home. They are contributing to society, not harming it.

Spousal health benefits at SIUC are not a reward for heterosexual behavior or for propagation of the species. They are simply one way to retain good employees. SIUC and Suri Rajan should take a lesson from half the Fortune 500 companies in this country: Treat gay and lesbian employees the same as straight ones.

Respectfully yours,
Wayne Larsen
Associate Editor, SIU Press

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