Defending Pearl Carter and Phil Bailey

An anonymous commenter wrote in response to my post on Pearl Carter and Phil Bailey. Writing May 1, 2010 4:23 PM:

really....of all the things I can tolerate, this is just not one of them. If that offends anyone here, I'm sorry you feel that way. Please take a look at history. Specifically, please look at the line of Egypt's Pharaohs. Look at what happened to they physically due to constant intermarriage. This is really not ok. Medical science has proven how bad this can be genetically. That's a good portion of the reason it should never be allowed.

First of all, Pearl and Phil not having children together biologically. They are using a surrogate.

More importantly, though, is that someone’s genes and love life are nobody else’s business. Whether or not someone has children with someone else is nobody else’s business. Ever hear of privacy and reproductive rights?

One couple does not make “constant intermarriage.”

Finally, plenty of children have been born from genetically closer relationships without significant problems. On the other hand, there are children born with problems whose parents were not close closely related. It isn’t your business.

Again, I say congratulations to Pearl Carter and Phil Bailey for finding love with each other and for not being afraid to speak up. Maybe it will help advance marriage equality, especially when more people get to know you.

Congrats to Pearl Carter and Phil Bailey

A grandmother, Pearl Carter has found love in the arms of a younger man, Phil Bailey. It is making news because he's her biological grandson.

Phil is the son of Pearl's daughter Lynette Bailey, and the pair is braving public horror and even prison by breaking one of the last taboos – incest.

However, the pair makes no apologies for their controversial plan to start their own family.

Good for them. They are showing the world that there’s nothing to be ashamed of, and that their relationship is just as valid as any other.

'I'm not interested in anyone else's opinion,' Pearl says. 'I am in love with Phil and he's in love with me. Soon I'll be holding my son or daughter in my arms and Phil will be the proud dad'.

Phil adds, 'I love Pearl with all my heart. I've always been attracted to older women and I think Pearl is gorgeous.

Shouldn’t they be able to marry if they choose? They're going to have a child through a surrogate, and that child should have the legal protections of a married family, if that is what they want.

Due to Lynette being adopted out, Phil and Pearl didn’t find each other until after Phil was an adult. The article does discuss Genetic Sexual Attraction, and how knowing about that has put them at ease.

In 2006, Phil met his grandmother for the first time.

'From the first moment that I saw him, I knew we would never have a grandmother-grandson relationship,' Pearl remembers happily. 'For the first time in years I felt sexually alive.'

Phil admits that he had the same feelings towards Pearl.

'I wanted to kiss her there and then,' he says. 'My feelings were overwhelming.'

We need more couples like them to come out to the world. Congratulations to them. And read the whole story, which, thankfully, does not have quotes from any bigots.