The Gay Marriage "My Studies Beat Your Studies" Debate

Maybe I’ve just a very short attention span, but I’m a tad bored by this debate already.
I’ve already noted the excessively shrill response to anyone who dares question the notion of gay marriage as anything less than a human right that should have been legislated for yesterday.
I’ve just read Mental Meandering’s maybe-scurrilous attack on Ronan Mullen and quite frankly, Fiona’s going a little bit too far (is it scurrilous? – I’m not a lawyer so I’m afraid to say so in definite fashion).
I’m really bored with Fiona’s repeated claims that those against gay marriage quote studies (air-quoted) that don’t actually exist but she continually tells us that she has studies too – but doesn’t actually mention them.

But first – fair enough attempting to dismantle the arguments Ronan made in his article, but there is absolutely no need to describe him as hate-filled, or to randomly bring up his supposed membership of any organisation. Especially one that is a private matter for an individual (Opus Dei) and one that Fiona somehow believes is an insult (I can’t fathom why else one would mention it?) Ronan has not made any public statement one way or another about his personal spiritual life (nor should he have too) and it doesn’t matter a jot to this, or any other issue, if he has or not.
Fiona feels justified in calling Ronan hate-filled – but was not a happy camper herself when Richard Waghorne called her response hysterical and hyperbolic – double standards, anyone???

At this point, I should mention that I am a personal friend of Ronan and like him loads – he’s a sincere, bright, articulate guy who does as United Irelander says “challenge mindsets”.

Fiona has already told us her grand vision for marriage – she’s all for abolishing marriage - listen, that would be my preference as well for numerous ideological and political reasons but you're right: it's completely unimaginable in real terms.

So as Fiona says you know these 'studies' Mullen et. al. keep talking about - do you think they'll ever actually give references to them?

Well, Fiona I’ll try to, if you will.
Like most social science research, there will always be a way to manipulate a study to support one side over the other – but check these out.
And to be quite frank, I don’t have too much time to run around the net looking for studies (not being a sociologist, I don’t really have much time to spare on this kind of endeavour) but here are a few quick examples.
First, though, because same-sex marriage/families are only in their infancy, there is very little reliable research on it. There is however substantial research on what constitutes the best rearing/family environment for children (hint – it involves 1 father, 1 mother living in 1 committed relationship). Should we not attempt to provide what is best for children in more substantial terms than just saying “good, loving parents”?

The Heritage Foundation has a substantial database on family and marriage, which contains realms of research on this. (I know Heritage is unashamed in its conservative principles, but their collections of other people’s peer reviewed research is worth serious consideration) This is a load of charts about the benefits of marriage and the traditional family.

This is a review article on fathers and mothers, and how both together are preferable.

This is just a quick sample, not just to prove their existence, but also to challenge those who refuse to believe that research on this issue exists, to have a good look around.

Update - Fiona has responded. Of note, she didn't refer to Ronan as hate-filled, but his column. I've commented at her post.