One of the most common arguments against same-sex marriage is society’s image of the ideal family. “The public acceptance of homosexuality subverts the stability and self-understanding of the heterosexual family” (Sullivan, 1997, p.146). Conservatives believe that the ideal family includes one father and one mother. Both of the parents influence their children in a certain way. Many believe that a same-sex couple cannot raise a child properly because the child is not raised with both fatherly and motherly qualities. However, Sullivan (2012) also discusses how even though some parents may be disappointed that their child will not produce a grandchild, they would still prefer to see their child find someone to love and live with and share his or her life with. If a child is surrounded by two parents who love them, they will develop and grow as any other child would.