The heterosexual culture of marriage and children icon1.png was held in utter contempt by the gay adults in her world, Ms. Klein wrote. In fact, the isolation from the inferior heterosexual world was so complete, she wrote, that I had no idea how two heterosexuals behaved toward their children as mother and father until she was placed in foster care over a medical issue when she was a teenager.

Mr. Lopez said he and other children of gays feel pain but its because theres a missing biological parent, not because people lack legal marriage.

He said his childhood exposure to radical Catholic liberation theology and talk about the beauty of homosexual relationships led him into years of sexual experimentation, including taking money for sex with men icon1.png .

A reunion with his long-estranged father led to his escape icon1.png from the toxic gay family life, said Mr. Lopez , who is now married to his girlfriend and a father.

Ms. Faust differed from the other three in that she doesnt have a single criticism of her beloved mother icon1.png and her lesbian partner, but she is still urging the 5th Circuit to uphold the man-woman marriage laws.

Different views

There are no typical comments that people say about growing up with LGBT parents because each of us has had a different experience, just as in heterosexual families, said Annie Van icon1.png Avery, executive director of COLAGE , who grew up with a gay father and a lesbian mother and is herself the mother of two.

COLAGE was founded some 25 years ago to provide a safe space for youth in LGBT families to be themselves and support each other with issues relevant to their families, said Ms. Van Avery, adding that it is easy for children to feel marginalized or less than when their families are not treated equally.

The Supreme Court thus far has elected not to directly address the issue of gay marriage nationally, although the justices are still said to be mulling whether to take up the issue. But even declining to hear appeals earlier this year in states where bans have been overturned had the effect of expanding the number of places in which the unions are legal.

Gay marriage is now sanctioned in 36 states after Florida icon1.png began recognizing the unions this week nearly double the number of states in which they were legal just three months ago.

An estimated 220,000 children are being raised by gay parents, and a mass of scholarly materials testifies to the health icon1.png and well-being of gay families, COLAGE and the Family Equality Council said in their brief.

Still, Ms. Faust and other members of the quartet of truth urge the 5th Circuit and other courts to uphold man-woman marriage laws.

It wasnt until I had children of my own that the wholeness and worth of having both father icon1.png and mother raising their children together hit me like a freight train, Ms. Faust said recently. My kids need both of us and marriage law should always encourage and promote that ideal of mothers and fathers parenting their children together.