A Study on Gay Parenting

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Homosexuality has been a sensitive subject in society for a long time, and in recent years, it has sparked both support and controversy in areas such as legalizing gay and lesbian marriage and various other matters that have arisen surrounding the movement towards equality of treatment and integration into society. One of these matters that has garnered attention is gay parenting. With some states now allowing same-sex marriage or unions, the next step being taken is starting a family. There has been wide speculation into sexual orientation and whether it has an impact on homosexuals and their abilities to be good parents. Because of this, many people have carried out detailed studies and research on this topic to determine whether this worry and concern is warranted. One such study was carried out producing results contrary to popular belief. Meezan and Rauch found that gay and lesbian parents are generally similar to heterosexual parents, and, when differences were seen, they normally favored the same-sex parents. It was also found that the children of same-sex parents were not “confused about their gender identity” and were not “more likely to be homosexual” (Meezan and Rauch 103). Their children were able to develop normally in all facets of life. In another study conducted by Charlotte Patterson, she questions if there is a noticeable difference seen in the development of children who were “reared by same-sex couples compared to other-sex couples” (241). Comparing the scores of children raised by lesbian mothers to the Child Behavior checklist revealed that they were within the average range for other American children. Based on the results, she determined that the development of the child depended more on the “quality o... ... middle of paper ... ...berg. “Gay and Lesbian Adoptive and Foster Care Placements: Can They Meet the Needs of Waiting Children?” Social Work 46:2 (Apr., 2001): 147-57 JSTOR. Web. 1 February 2012. Meezan, William and Jonathan Rauch. “Gay Marriage, Same-Sex Parenting, and America’s Children.” The Future of Children 15.2 (Autumn, 2005): 97-115 JSTOR. Web. 1 February 2012. Miller, Brian. “Gay Fathers and Their Children.” The Family Coordinator 28:4 (Oct., 1979): 544-52 JSTOR. Web. 1 February 2012. Patterson, Charlotte J. “Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 15: 241 (2006): 241-244 JSTOR. Web. 1 February 2012. Stacey, Judith and Timothy J. Biblarz. “(How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter?” American Sociological Review 66.2 (Apr., 2001): 159-83 JSTOR. Web. 1 February 2012.

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