I'VF almost lost my faith in this world.

I watched half an hour of Parliament Live last night... never again. There seem to be a large number of fully elected - and I curse Russell Brand for nullifying this word's meaning - swines in that room. The types who swear they aren't homophobic: they have gay friends...

The subject? An amendment to a bill which would exclude lesbian couples from IVF treatment. Sanity? Flushed down the drain.

A pompous old fool, along with others, declared that, while he applauds single mothers for their efforts in bringing up children and fully endorses this (could his constituency - dare i say it - have a significant number of single mothers in it?), for two women, such an act is impossible and immoral. I wonder... how could two women possibly bring up a child better than one? Wouldn't their combined effort surely pale in comparison to that of their singular equivalent? They'd just end up tripping over eachother's dungaree straps.

As I looked on in horror, I honestly thought we were close to another Rivers of Blood speech, especially with references to "normal" and "natural" being so casually thrown around.

Why do people still confusedly associate deviations from the norm with detriment? It is different and less common to have two women parents, yes, that is granted, and there may be some downsides from the lack of a male role model, but there are certainly numerous upsides from the love and affection given by two parents such as that from cohabiting lesbians.

The problem here is that a woman's sexuality, not her capability as a parent, would exclude her from the treatment as two lesbians do not constitute a mother and a father, and alone cannot conceive, forming the argument that it is unnatural. But why should that matter? What is natural? It is possible, and that's what should matter and be celebrated. One simply cannot discriminate based on the grounds of gender when it is perfectly acceptable for a single mother to bring up a child - it's frankly hypocritical and a thinly veiled attack on the lesbian sexuality.

However, there was some satisfaction to be taken from that evening's viewing as what can only be described as an intolerant, batty, middle-aged Christian took to the stand and spoke poison on the matter as others laughed at and mocked her old-fashioned, somewhat extreme views on the matter. Brilliant. Furthermore, the fact that there was a majority, if only by 75, for the discriminatory amendment not to be made, goes at least some way to making me believe that there is, however faint, still the hope that civilised society will prevail for the foreseeable future.