Sing You Home: A Novel

by Jodi Picoult

  “So none of these esteemed scientists have been able to conclusively prove that a person is born gay?”

  “No,” the psychologist says. “It’s certainly not like skin color, for example. You can’t do anything to change your skin color—Michael Jackson notwithstanding. But sexual orientation isn’t all nature. There’s a hefty dose of nurture tossed in as well.”

  “That brings me to your most recent article, ‘Beyond Love: Why Same-Sex Marriage Harms Children.’ Can you tell us what led you to write it?”

  “There’s copious evidence that it is in a child’s best interest to be raised by two heterosexual parents,” Dr. Newkirk says. “Lesbian partners may indeed be wonderful mothers, but they simply cannot be fathers.”

  “Can you elaborate?”

  Dr. Newkirk nods. “There are four primary reasons why it’s critical for a child to be loved by both a mother and a father. First, the attachment a parent of each sex has to its child—though equally important—is significantly unique. A mother’s unconditional love and a father’s conditional love complement each other and influence the way a child grows up. A relationship with both sexes in a child’s formative years allows the child to interact with the world more easily in later years. Second, it’s a well-established fact of child development that there are different stages of growth psychologically. For example, although babies of both sexes at first respond better to the care of a mother, at a certain point, to hone his masculine identity, a boy must detach from his mother and identify with his father instead, to learn how to channel his aggression and control his emotions. The father relationship is important to the growing young lady, as well—it becomes a safe place to have her femininity validated. Without that father figure in her life, she is more likely to satiate a hunger for male attention in a way that makes her sexually adventurous in inappropriate ways.”

  “And the third reason?” Wade prompts.

  “Same-sex relationships have been documented to cause sexual confusion in children, and promiscuity. The message sent is that all choices are equally desirable, that it doesn’t matter who you marry. For this reason young people raised in same-sex-relationship households tend to be both sexually active and sexually indiscriminate.”

  “You mean they’re more likely to form homosexual relationships themselves?”

  “Exactly. Think of ancient Greece, for example. Homosexuality ran rampant—not because of a gay gene but because society condoned it. Condoning this kind of behavior only leads to a proliferation of the behavior.”

  “And the final reason same-sex marriage is detrimental to children?”

  “Because it paves the way for even more socially unacceptable relationships. Polyamorous couplings, for example. Can you imagine the emotional ramifications suffered by a child who has a single father but multiple mommies? With whom would that child bond? And if we extrapolate from this—imagine what happens when those marriages disintegrate and then there are remarriages—well, conceivably there could be children with two fathers and six mothers . . .” She shakes her head. “That’s not a family, Mr. Preston. That’s a commune.”

  “Let me ask you, Dr. Newkirk, do your objections stem from an inability of a homosexual couple to provide love to a child?”

  “Absolutely not. Certainly homosexual couples can create just as loving an environment as heterosexual couples. However, kids need more than love. They need the complementary experiences of having a male and a female parent for guidance, instruction, and psychological development.”

  “Naysayers will ask what your evidence is,” Wade says.

  Dr. Newkirk smiles. “Five thousand years or so of parenting, Mr. Preston. Putting children into a newfangled social experiment could be absolutely devastating to the next generation.” She looks over at Zoe. “I have nothing but compassion for homosexuals who want to raise a family. But I can’t allow my compassion for them to trounce the needs of innocent children.”

  “As a result of all your research, Dr. Newkirk, do you have an expert opinion as to which home would be a more fit and proper placement for these pre-born children?”

  “Yes, I do. I firmly believe that these children would be much better off in the home of Reid and Liddy Baxter.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Wade says, and he turns to Angela Moretti. “Your witness.”

  “You say homosexuality isn’t genetic, right, Doctor?” Angela begins.

  “There’s no evidence to support that.”

  “You said the Bailey and Pillard study isn’t valid because not every identical twin who identified as gay had a gay twin, correct?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Are you aware that, even though identical twins share many identical traits, there are certain biological factors that differ between them? Fingerprints, for example?”

  “Well—”

  “And, Doctor, you discounted the LeVay study because it hasn’t been confirmed yet with a similar study.”

  “That’s right,” the psychologist says.

  “Are you familiar with the research done on the eight percent of domestic rams who are solely interested in having sex with other rams?”

  “No.”

  “Well,” Angela Moretti says, “in fact researchers discovered in those rams a bunch of neurons in the hypothalamus that were smaller than they tended to be in heterosexual rams. In fact, the findings were very reminiscent of Simon LeVay’s study. Doctor, you also criticized Dean Hamer’s research because it hasn’t been replicated, correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “Does that mean that at some point the study might be replicated?”

  “Naturally I can’t predict the future.”

  “Are you aware of the Swedish study that identified the differences in the way the brains of straight men and gay men responded to male and female pheromones, which suggested a strong physiological component to homosexuality?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Do you know that scientists in Vienna have identified a genetic switch for sexual orientation in fruit flies? And that, when they tampered with the switch, female fruit flies ignored males and instead tried to mate with other females by mimicking the mating rituals of male fruit flies?”

  “I was not aware of that, no,” the psychologist admits.

  “And did you know, Dr. Newkirk, that there’s currently a two-point-five-million-dollar study underwritten by the National Institutes of Health to do genetic screenings of a thousand pairs of gay brothers, in order to better understand the genetic component of homosexuality? You and I both know that government rarely muddies its hands in research regarding sexuality, Doctor. Wouldn’t this suggest that even an esteemed institution like the NIH is validating the biological basis for homosexuality?”

  “Anyone can have a hypothesis, Ms. Moretti. Research, though, doesn’t always back it up.”

  “Then how about Dr. William Reiner, at the University of Oklahoma,” Angela asks. “Are you aware that he’s studied hundreds of cases of children born with sexual differentiation disorders—such as a baby boy with an undeveloped penis or no penis at all? Typical protocol has involved surgery to castrate the infant, who is then raised as a girl. Did you know, Doctor, that not a single one grew up to be sexually attracted to males? That the majority of those gender-reassigned babies transitioned back to being males, because they were sexually attracted to women? I’d say that’s a very clear example of nurture not trumping nature, wouldn’t you?”

  “Counselor,” the psychologist says, “I assume you are familiar with Darwin’s principle of natural selection?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then you know that it’s an established scientific belief that the primary goal for all species is to pass along the strongest genes to future generations. Since homosexuals produce only twenty percent of the offspring that heterosexuals do, wouldn’t this gay gene you’re suggesting have long been wiped out by natural selection?” She smiles. “You can’t play the biology card if you can’t just
ify that.”

  The lawyer brushes off her comment. “I’m just a humble attorney, Dr. Newkirk. I wouldn’t presume to dabble in either science or pseudoscience. Now, one of your justifications for raising children in heterosexual unions is that not having both a mother and father is problematic, correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “So if one parent in a heterosexual couple dies, is it your position to advocate removing the child and putting him in the home of a different heterosexual couple?”

  “That would be ludicrous. The optimal living situation for any child involves having both a mother and a father, but obviously that can’t always be the case. Tragedies happen.”

  “Such as keeping an embryo from going to its biological mother?”

  “Objection—”

  The judge frowns. “Sustained.”

  “I’ll withdraw,” Angela Moretti says.

  “Actually, I’d like to answer,” Dr. Newkirk says. “I can point Ms. Moretti to numerous studies that prove a boy who grows up without a father is more likely to become a delinquent, and to end up incarcerated.”

  “What about your claim that same-sex marriage opens the door for polygamy? In the years since gay marriage has been legal in Massachusetts, has anyone petitioned the legislature for a polygamist union?”

  “I don’t follow the legislation in that state . . .”

  “I’ll help you out. The answer’s no,” Angela says. “And no one’s asked to get married to a rock or a goat, either.” She begins to tick off points on her fingers. “Let me just sum up what I’m hearing from you, Dr. Newkirk. Homosexual parenting leads to all sorts of devastating developmental downfalls for the children involved. Homosexuality isn’t innate, it’s learned. If you have homosexual parents, you’re likely to experiment with homosexual relationships. If you grow up with heterosexual parents, you will grow up to be heterosexual.”

  The psychologist nods. “That’s about right.”

  “Then maybe you can explain something else to me,” Angela Moretti says. “How come most gay people have straight parents?” She turns around and walks back to her seat while the psychologist is still trying to find a response. “Nothing further.”

  Angela Moretti really doesn’t want Pastor Clive to take the stand. “Your Honor,” she says, “if Mr. Lincoln is a character witness for Max Baxter, there’s no need to qualify him as an expert in his field. The study of Max Baxter is not an academic discipline.”

  “Pastor Clive is a religious leader and scholar,” Wade argues. “He’s traveled all over this country preaching the word of God.”

  “And you know the one place he can’t preach it? In a court of law,” Angela replies.

  “I think I want to hear what he has to say,” Judge O’Neill says.

  “Of course you do,” Angela mutters.

  The judge scowls. “I beg your pardon, Counselor?”

  She looks up. “I said I’m a Jew.”

  “Well, I never would have made that assumption, given the fact that your last name comes straight from Federal Hill. But thanks for sharing,” he adds. “It puts some of your earlier objections in a much different light. Attorney Preston, you may call your witness.”

  When Pastor Clive walks in from wherever he’s been sequestered, accompanied by a sheriff, the gallery reacts. The members of the Eternal Glory Church call out hallelujahs and amens; the Westboro Baptist group starts clapping. For his part, Pastor Clive ducks his head humbly and walks down the aisle.

  He asks to be sworn in on his own Bible.

  “Please state your name for the record,” Wade says.

  “Clive Lincoln.”

  “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m the pastor of the Eternal Glory Evangelical Church of God.”

  “Do you have a family, Pastor?”

  “Yes,” Pastor Clive says. “I have a wonderful wife, and God’s seen fit to bless us with four beautiful daughters.”

  Three of them I know—they’re fresh-scrubbed preteens who wear matching dresses and sing with Pastor Clive on Sundays. The other one sits in the back during services and doesn’t say a word. Rumor has it she hasn’t accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I can’t imagine what a personal embarrassment that must be for someone like Pastor Clive.

  I guess we all have our crosses to bear.

  “Do you know the plaintiff in this matter?”

  “I do. Max joined our congregation about six months ago.”

  “Are you familiar with Reid and Liddy Baxter as well?” Wade asks.

  “I’ve known Reid for fifteen years. He’s a business whiz, frankly—he’s managed the church’s finances for over a decade. We may have been the only nonprofit that made money during the recession.” Pastor Clive rolls his eyes upward. “Then again, we just might have had Someone looking out for us in the stock market.”

  “How long have you been the pastor of this church?”

  “Twenty-one glorious years.”

  “Pastor, what does your church teach about homosexuality?”

  “Objection,” Angela Moretti says. “I don’t see how this testimony furthers his understanding of the plaintiff’s character.”

  “Overruled.”

  “We believe in the word of God,” Pastor Clive says. “We interpret the Bible literally, and there are multiple passages that state marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman, for the purpose of procreation—and many others that directly condemn homosexuality.”

  “Can you elaborate?”

  “Objection!” Angela Moretti stands. “The Bible isn’t relevant in a court of law.”

  “Oh, really?” Wade says. He gestures to the King James Bible the clerk keeps on his desk for swearing in.

  Angela Moretti ignores him. “Your Honor, Mr. Lincoln’s interpretation of Bible verses is a direct melding of religion and justice—which violates the very principles of our legal system.”

  “On the contrary, Your Honor, this is entirely relevant to the best interests of the pre-born children, and the sort of home in which they wind up.”

  “I’ll allow the testimony,” Judge O’Neill says.

  A man in the back of the gallery who’s wearing a shirt that says CLOSETS ARE FOR CLOTHES stands up. “Go fuck yourself, Judge!”

  O’Neill glances up. “Motion denied,” he says drily. “Sheriff, please remove this man from my courtroom.” He turns toward Pastor Clive. “As I was saying, you may proceed. But I’ll limit you to choosing a single verse as an example. Ms. Moretti is right about one thing: this is a trial, not a Sunday School session.”

  Pastor Clive calmly opens his Bible and reads aloud. “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. And if a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. I know those are two verses, but they’re practically on the same page.”

  “How would you and your congregation interpret those passages?” Wade asks.

  “I don’t think it’s just me and my congregation,” Pastor Clive says. “It’s spelled out to anyone who reads it—homosexuality is an abomination. A sin.”

  “For Pete’s sake,” Angela Moretti says, “I object. For the hundredth time.”

  “I will give his testimony the weight it deserves, Counselor,” Judge O’Neill says.

  Wade turns to Pastor Clive. “I’d like to direct your attention to the pre-born children at the root of this case,” he says. “When did you learn about them?”

  “Max came to me for counseling, very upset after having a conversation with his ex-wife. Apparently, she is now living a life of sin—”

  “Objection!”

  “Please strike that from the record,” the judge says.

  “Max’s ex-wife wanted to get custody of these pre-born children so that she could transfer them to her lesbian lover.”

  “How did you advise Max?” Wade asks.

  “I told him that this might be God�
��s way of trying to tell him something. We discussed what sort of family he wanted his children to grow up in—and he said a traditional, good Christian one. When I asked him if he knew anyone like that, he immediately mentioned his brother and sister-in-law.”

  Liddy, I think and feel a pang in my chest.

  What if I suggested we raise the babies together? We could tell Wade, and he could tell the judge, and then all of a sudden the biological father—me—would be added to the equation. Then I wouldn’t be giving the babies away; I’d be keeping them for myself.

  Except that Wade’s made a whole case about me not being ready to be a father.

  And Liddy.

  Even if she was willing, I couldn’t take her away from everything she’s got. The money, the home, the security. How could I even come close to measuring up to Reid?

  Reid, who’s never done anything but help me and who gets, in return, a brother who sleeps with his wife.

  Yeah, I’m the perfect father. A real, upstanding role model.

  “Reid and Liddy have been praying for children for years,” Pastor Clive says. “They’d recently considered adopting through the Snowflakes agency. When Max came to me, I thought that maybe God was offering us a different solution, one that would benefit everyone involved. That perhaps Liddy and Reid were the best parents for these particular pre-born children.”

  “How did Max react?”

  “He was cautiously optimistic.” Pastor Clive looks up. “We all were.”

  “Thank you, Pastor,” Wade says, and he sits back down.

  Angela Moretti starts talking before she even rises from her chair. “A solution that would benefit everyone involved,” she repeats. “Is that what you thought?”

  “Yes.”

  “Doesn’t seem like much of a benefit for Zoe, the biological mother of these embryos.”

  “As much as I understand the need to cater to Ms. Baxter’s concerns, what a child needs is far more important,” Pastor Clive says.

  “So you think that picking nonbiological parents for these embryos is a better choice than picking a parent who has a direct gametic relationship to them.”

  “What I think matters far less than what God thinks.”