I'm rambling, but it seems to me that the only real issue here is whether or not Michael possesses adequate parenting skills (and also whether Linda possesses adequate parenting skills). Linda's argument that he can't be a father because he's not really a man is a pretty low blow, aimed to hit where he's most emotionally vulnerable. And it has nothing to do with the real issue, IMHO.

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Can Dickless Dad Still Parent?

What is a man, and what is a father? A bitter custody dispute in Clearwater, FL shows why these have become extremely practical questions...

The specific legal issue concerns the validity of their marriage. Linda's attorney claims that Michael is a woman, and so their marriage is void and the kids should be hers. Shouldn't the point actually be that the kids and their father love each other, that they need him and that he has always been there for them? Shouldn't the state strive to maintain the family's continuity as the marriage ends?

Not really, says the American Family Association. "In a custody case, we feel it is best for a child to be in a situation in which there is no gender confusion," said spokesman Ed Vitaglino. "Gender confusion" is code for "non-traditional, non-hierarchical" relationships. Gays, transsexuals, bisexuals, the non-monogamous--and the love they have for their children, their mates, and the families they create and cherish--are of no interest to the family values movement. For Linda Kantaras and the AFA, love and parenting are for the right kind of people--"us," not "them." How cruel, short-sighted, and ultimately dishonest.

Linda's obviously pissed that Michael cheated on her, which is understandable. She ought to take her pain like an adult rather than attempting to destroy her kids' lives (who's the unfit parent here?). Meanwhile, the AFA will gleefully sacrifice the Kantaras kids to support judicial actions that promote their fantasy of America...

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