Politics & Society
Two Guys and a Baby (with video)
Standing up to those who would stop gay partners from becoming parents
padraic.wheeler@nyu.eduWhat do you call a white guy and an Asian guy pushing a black baby in a stroller?
A family.
“It takes people a second when we are out together,” said Christopher Goeken, who with his partner Glenn Magpantay is parent to Malcolm. “But then they say, ‘Oh, that’s what it is. Now I understand.’”
Even in New York City, a gay interracial couple with an adopted child can raise eyebrows. So when the two Jackson Heights, Queens lawyers adopted baby Malcolm in January 2007, they braced themselves.
No anti-gay crusaders marched down the block. But some people seemed to doubt their parenting abilities.
“We have had people stop us on the street and give us unsolicited advice,” Goeken said. “Oh, it’s too cold out for the baby, you’re dragging his feet, you’re going to kill him!”
Click the video for scenes of life with Malcolm.