Episode 6: Speak Space: Gay Couples Make Just as Good Parents as Straight Couples

01/09/22 • 82 min

This is our first Speak Space.
Speak Space is where we bring two people together who have different views on a sensitive topic. Not to debate. Not to persuade. Instead, we bring them together to listen and understand in good faith.
Our guests today are Dr Patricia Casey and Dr Peter D’Lima.

Patricia is a consultant psychiatrist and writes a column in the Irish Independent. She is a patron of the Iona Institute, which is a Christian advocacy group that promotes the place of marriage and religion in society and emphasises that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

Peter is an educational psychologist and co-founder of Not The Easy Way. He has completed his thesis on ways to reduce extremism in society and is interested in how we create unified and tolerant societies. He has co-written an article about the importance of free speech for children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Peter is also gay, which is relevant to the statement up for discussion:

Gay couples make just as good parents as straight couples.
The principles of our Speak Charter underpin the conversation: https://nottheeasyway.org/Speak%20Charter%20(1).pdf

Gay couples make just as good parents as straight couples.
The principles of our Speak Charter underpin the conversation: https://nottheeasyway.org/Speak%20Charter%20(1).pdf

Previous Episode

Episode 5: Aspire with Ed Latimore (The Power of Masculinity)

Listen as educational and child psychologists, Dr. Peter D'Lima & Dr. Claire McGuiggan speak to Ed Latimore, former heavy-weight boxer and now self-improvement enthusiast. Ed grew up in difficult circumstances, had low confidence in himself, and had struggles with alcohol and pornography. Now, he is a writer and helps young men around the globe to meet their aspirations. In this episode, we discuss masculinity and how it can be a powerful force that can be wielded in both positive and negative ways. Ed shares with us his views on developing masculinity positively, how masculinity is viewed in society today and whether young men and boys may need additional approaches to supporting their mental health and growth.

Next Episode

Episode 7: Speak Space: Measures to reduce climate change need to be put in place no matter the cost

Speak Space is where we bring two people together who have different views on a sensitive topic. Not to debate. Not to persuade. Instead, we bring them together to listen and understand in good faith.
Our guests today are Ishaan Shah and Harry Wilkinson.

Ishaan Shah is an 18-year-old international anti-human trafficking, gender equality and climate action young leader. In 2017, he founded Stolen Dreams, a youth-led organization working with global stakeholders to counter trafficking in persons, especially women and children. He is a National Gender Youth Advocate to UN Women and Youth Focal Point for countering transnational organized crime to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Since 2016, he has travelled deep into the anti-human trafficking and gender equality movements, learning at speed and recognising intersectionalities. Ishaan is working to drive concrete action by facilitating the meaningful inclusion of youth in decision making spaces from the grassroots to international levels.

Harry Wilkinson began working as a researcher in the House of Lords for Lord Lawson of Blaby, and for the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) in 2015. Since then he has been made Head of Policy of Net Zero Watch, the GWPF’s campaign arm, and has become a regular guest on GB News and TalkRadio as a spokesperson on climate and energy policy issues. As of February of this year, he has also been working part-time as a Senior Researcher for Craig Mackinlay MP in the House of Commons.
Today's Speak Space involves discussion of the statement below:

Measures to reduce climate change need to be put in place no matter the cost.
The principles of our Speak Charter underpin the conversation: https://nottheeasyway.org/Speak%20Charter%20(1).pdf