Lev Lafayette's journal

It is time I told the rest of the world. I'm a father; or rather, I have fathered. Three years ago I became a donor at the Melbourne IVF clinic. The simple reality is there is a number of people, who through no fault of their own, are unable to have children and wish to do so, and demand far outstrips supply (so go lend a hand, fine strapping local lads). Whilst raising children has never been high on my personal agenda, I do recognise it is very important to others and it would be absolutely heartbreaking for people to find that they cannot do this. Being a donor may, of course, generate future visitors, but that is part of the process and a responsibility. It turns out my profile apparently was sufficiently popular and there's a few of my progeny that are now healthy kinder. So the clinic has asked back to help out even further. I was worried that I was getting a little long in the tooth for this sort of thing, but they've assured me that's all fine and at least that part of my health is in a good state.

There is a changing roles of families, and like many aspects of life we overlook the profound influence of technology. Part of this changing role implies changes to "the definition of marriage" which has opponents of marriage equality so worried. Today I gave an address at the Melbourne Unitarian church on the topic; Changing Definitions of Marriage : Past, Present, and Future, which pretty much covers what it says on the tin. It's some four thousand dense and referenced words, that cover the current plebiscite versus parliamentary vote options, the diversity in traditional and historic marriages, the changes in advanced societies in the last century, and some of the future changes that are likely to occur. I was worried that it is a little long for a single address, but it went over very well and with some excellent questions from the congregation.