Sir, - John Waters (June 3rd) expresses legitimate concerns about the rights of fathers, but it does not help his case to object to the Equality Authority's support for gay and lesbian adoptions.
He says: "Many in this society will be metaphysically offended by these proposals, but will maintain a dejected silence for fear of being dubbed 'homophobic' by the self-appointed guardians of public thought." While the authority badly needs to address discrimination against separated and single fathers, it needs also to address the discimination that results from those who would claim to be "metaphysically offended" by gay or lesbian couples adopting children.
They would be right to fear being "dubbed homophobic" for such they would be. To suggest that many would be offended in a "metaphysical" way is to try to give a phobia an intellectual respectability which it does not have.
Most phobias are rooted in the physical - there is nothing meta about them. Stay on track John! - Yours, etc.,
DECLAN KELLY,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14