Suggestions

Closing a thread for whatever reason, unless it is a request for help that has been sorted, smells of censorship to me



Susanne ....


two things for you to consider with that "old" couple.

1. Are you absolutely certain that they are both of the same sex?

It is very unlikely that they would have identified themselves as a same sex couple as homosexuality was illegal until into the 1950s. ANYONE who identified himself or herself as a homosexual was liable to imprisonment, or worse, put into an asylum

Yes, 2 unrelated people of the same sex did live together ........ but they would never identify themselves as a "couple"

2. How do you know they adopted the child/ren? Adoption did not become legal until 1927 ................. there are practically no records before that time.


I am assuming that you have checked all images of the census pages very carefully, and gone back to birth records and certificates to determine the correct spelling of names and sex.


sylvia

Susanne,

It means exactly what it says!! It is an instruction how to delete your thread "Should you wish".

You stated, "This thread should be closed but I don't know how to add a closed tag icon"

You have now decided to leave the thread as it is which of course your prerogative.

I see that on another thread started by yourself yesterday morning entitled "How do you Icon tag to close a thread" you subsequently posted the following comments:

"It is just that when a threads gets to many posts - more than 2 pages - new readers don't read all the posts to follow what has gone on before so you often get duplicate help. Then there are those who just have to say something and the thread goes off on a tangent."

Since this particular thread has not yet gone beyond its first page and has not previously gone off at a tangent as far as I can see. Why then did you feel that it needed to be closed?

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1287848

Jonesey

Whats that supposed to mean. I know how to delete any of my posts/threads but as suggested by +++DetEcTive+++ I'll leave it as it is.

;-) ;-)

Susanne,

Rather than close the thread you can delete it altogether should you wish. Just go to your original post and click "Delete"

Apart from deleting the thread, there isn't any way to 'close' it on this board. Only Gr can 'lock' it.

Please don't delete - it may help someone else in the future who is confused about same sex relationships.

As a point of interest, there is a baptism on Medway City Ark in the 1960's where 2 females (different surnames) are listed as the parents of an adopted child. Friends, relatives, or 'partners'? That could cause some confusion in the future!

I made a mistake in my original question - I meant their computer software program.

I have 3 male couples in my tree - 2 modern day and 1 way back.
I have checked GR & Anc..and they are all showing up as male couples so there doesn't seem to be a problem.

The modern ones I have the CP certs - the old one is sad - the family member died all alone living isolated from his family. How I know - from old letters

This thread should be closed but I don't know how to add a closed tag icon

I'd also question whether it is simply a enumerator/transcription error in some cases?

For example 'Francis/Frances' 'Leslie/Lesley' different spellings for different genders, but the enumerator hears it the same and might assume wrongly.

Think we've probably all found examples where the 'son' has been listed as daughter and vice versa.

I notice that Susanne has only returned once to each of her threads which is a pity.


Unless there is a genuine reason for her absence, such as sickness or holidays, it may be that she feels unable to return because she seems to be in the minority with her thoughts.


I agree it would be helpful if she could return and make some comment, even if only to say what it is she really means or, maybe, to say that there are some valid comments on both threads.


As it is, both of her threads are rather one-sided which doesn't help anyone.


As for the same sex relationship comments, it took me back to the books by Miss Read (based on a schoolteacher's life in a rural English village in the 1950's and books by Agatha Christie. Both authors had books which featured women living together in them, but it always came across that this was simply for companionship and convenience.


As for my tree I have, on the odd occasion, had to alter a gender issue as boys' names look slightly odd in the pink box!

Cx

As Detective has said, same sex relationships can be entered on genes, and one of my contacts has done so. No problem.

It would be good if Susanne would return and answer some of the questions raised on this thread!


I think a lot of people may be interested in the answer as we move forward into the future.




sylvia

GR can cope with same sex partnerships - you manually alter the sex after you have created the individuals record. Look at the Gender box; there is a drop down list to choose the sex.

Possibly this is a new feature, not that I have had call to use it.

On Familytree Maker you can have any 2 people as a couple. You can then click on Married or Partner or Friend etc.

I'd be really interested to see an example here if possible.

It will be something all family tree 'providers' have to address in the future ie rather than 'spouse' it would have to be 'spouse or partner' perhaps (if this isn't already the case on FT software ?) ...but then I can put what ever I like on my piece of wallpaper lol.

Susanne,

On a post that you made on the Genealogy Chat board you state that you consider yourself to be a "Skilled Researcher".

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1287029

If that is correct then you will no doubt be aware that to make assumptions is both dangerous and foolhardy.

In this thread you say that you have found 2 same sex parent families who have adopted children. Do you know these people personally or have you assumed that because there are 2 people of the same sex sharing an address that they are in a "Relationship"? Similarly because there are children at the address whose surname differs from the adults have you assumed that the children have been adopted by those adults?

Formal same sex relationships are a relatively new phenomena although of course such relationships have existed informally since time immemorial. There is no doubt that at some point in the future sites such as GR and the makers of family history programs such as Family Tree Maker may have to amend their programs to enable them to record such relationships between adults. Until such time as nature, not man, enables same sex couples to produce their own children totally unaided by others then the biological parentage of any children in the household can at best only be attributed to one member of the same sex couple.

InspectorGreenPen - Spot on - you have explained it better than me

Thks so much

This board is for you to add your suggestions for changes you would like to see made to Genes Reunited.

Are you trying to suggest that GR enhance the tree software to allow for same sex relationships as it doesn't cater for this at the present time?

I'm not sure what you mean by how they handle it. Surely when you do the family tree of an adopted child you trace that child's birth parents. I don't think it makes a difference if the adoptive parents are a same sex couple.

There is presumptiom that a partner has to be a male & and a female.
Have found 2 same sex parent families who have adopted children all using different names.
How is GR computer programme handling this