The Multiverse of Data Proves Same-Sex Parenting Harms

Father Rob speaks with Father Paul Sullins, a sociologist and Senior Research Associate at the Ruth Institute, about a groundbreaking re-analysis of the controversial 2012 Regnerus study on same-sex parenting. Father Sullins explains how researchers recently applied a "multiverse of analysis" approach—running over 2 million statistical permutations—to the original dataset. Their goal was to debunk the study, but instead, they found overwhelming confirmation: in every model, children raised by same-sex parents consistently fared worse than those raised by a married mother and father. Father Sullins discusses how this re-analysis not only validates the original study's findings but also highlights the deep ideological bias in academia, where research that supports traditional family structures is often suppressed or ignored. He recounts how journals have retracted studies under activist pressure and how scholars who challenge the dominant narrative face professional retaliation. The conversation also touches on broader implications: the Catholic Church's understanding of the human person, the erosion of academic freedom, and the potential legal and cultural consequences, especially regarding adoption laws and same-sex marriage rulings. Despite the challenges, Father Sullins sees signs of hope, including honest scholars beginning to push back against ideological censorship. Together, the two priests explore how faith and honest science converge, reinforcing timeless truths about family, parenting, and the well-being of children.