Over the last several decades, gay rights have been a growing topic in the public and in the court rooms. Recently, the debate about gays having the right or ability to parent has become a hot topic, due to the expanding gay community. There are typically two stances taken on the topic of gay parenting: it’s wrong and should be illegal or it’s normal and should be legal. While the norms, stereotypes and debates about gay parenting have varied over the years, today there seems to be a positive consensus when it comes to the beliefs about children being raised by homosexuals.
Although today most psychologists agree that parents’ sexual orientation does not affect the well-being of a child, less than 40 years ago, doctors considered homosexuality a mental disorder causing hundreds of parents to lose visitation rights to their children. Arguments against gay parenting are all solely based on the sexual orientation of the parents, making this a large issue in sexual culture. An individual’s sexual orientation and history caused many parents to be declared mentally incompetent and a threat to their children. Often times in court, arguers classified homosexuals as repeat criminals due to sodomy laws and used that as grounds as to argue child endangerment. Since science was used to declare homosexuality a disorder and deem it deviant, many stereotypes, common beliefs and norms were established putting gays in a negative view.
Today homosexuality has become more accepted in our culture, however a significant amount of people still share the same anti-gay values and beliefs. When influential people, such as political candidates or The Pope, take such a strong stance against gays being able to parent, science is ignored when society crea...
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...Adoptive Families: Does Parental Sexual Orientation Matter?." Applied Developmental Science 14.3 (2010): 164-178. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. http://uh7qf6fd4h.search.serialssolutions.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/?sid=metalib:EBSCO_APH&id=doi:&genre=&isbn=&issn=10888691&date=2010&volume=14&issue=3&spage=164&epage=178&aulast=Farr&aufirst=%20Rachel%20H&auinit=&title=Applied%20Developmental%20Science&atitle=Parenting%20and%20Child%20Development%20in%20Adoptive%20Families%3A%20Does%20Parental%20Sexual%20Orientation%20Matter%3F&sici=&__service_type=&pid=%3Cmetalib_doc_number%3E008949686%3C/metalib_doc_number%3E%3Cmetalib_base_url%3Ehttp://metalib.fcla.edu.lp.hscl.ufl.edu%3C/metalib_base_url%3E%3Copid%3E%3C/opid%3E
Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents
Charlotte J. Patterson
Child Development , Vol. 63, No. 5 (Oct., 1992), pp. 1025-1042
In today’s society, family structure has changed dramatically from the traditional nuclear family to the unconventional, such as single parenting or same sex families. Over the years, many individuals questioned whether or not a parent’s sexual orientation affected their child’s sexual preference. There is significant research that has shown that children with lesbian parents do not differ from children with heterosexual parents. Many individuals stated that it is the value of the parent’s relationship with the child and not the parent’s sexual orientation that affects the child’s development. Contrary to the popular belief, children raised by lesbian parents are not more likely to become gay than children who are raised by heterosexual parents. A parent’s sexual orientation has said to have little importance to children other than the family togetherness. In other words, the relationship of the parent and child is far greater important than the sexual orientation of one’s parents. To be a good parent to a child has nothing to do with one’s sexual preference, but how well one takes care of that child emotionally, physically, financially, and mentally. Before the 20th, century children were often seen as miniature versions of adults so there was little consideration to children development in cognitive and physical development. The interest of child development did not peak until the early 20th century. Conscientious parenting happens not only within traditional nuclear families, but also within homosexual families. Both traditional nuclear and homosexual families can have positive and negative effects on children’s cognitive, psychological or behavioral development due to their rearing.
Although sixteen states have legalized same-sex marriage, the idea of same-sex parenting remains a controversial topic in America. As American families continue to vary from the traditional heterosexual husband and wife headed families, developmental differences among the children reared by two lesbians or two gay men pique the interest of both the public and developmental psychologists. Perhaps children raised by two mothers or two fathers will exhibit much different gender role behaviors and identify differently with their gender than children reared by heterosexual parents. By observing children raised by different parental groups the possible differences, and subsequent benefits, in gender identity and sex roles can be discerned.
Throughout history people who manifested an attraction for others of the same sex usually have gone through a lot of maltreatments, discrimination, and have often been regarded as “sexual deviants.” Relationships between people of the same sex have been present since the beginning of history. Their lives have not always been easy, because they have been persecuted and sometimes even forced to go through a psychiatric evaluation. At the same time, in order to gain their rights and dignity, they had to take their fight to the legal system because as George Chauncey, a professor of history at Yale University mentioned, “although most people recognize that gay life was difficult before growth of the gay movement in the 1970s, they often have only the vaguest sense of why: that gay people were scorned and ridiculed, made to feel ashamed, afraid, and alone” (290). However, discrimination and maltreatment were not the only reasons homosexuals had to take their struggle to the courts. An American professor of history at Yale University, who has testified in a number of gay rights cases, has exposed the ins and outs of the legal system in the second half of the twentieth century. During this time, a great number of states had created laws, which authorized the indefinite detention of homosexuals in mental institutions, and conditioned their release upon proving that they were cured from homosexuality (Chauncey 294). This past history, together with studies conducted by some prestigious institutions have lead society to understand that the right to homosexual marriage is economically, ethically, and morally correct, because it would benefit the economy and society by increasing the federal budget and creating a legal status for homosexual c...
While many people have different perspectives to whether gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to adopt children, we have to keep in mind that it’s not all about what society says and what they think. It’s about the personal life of the child that will be affected. As humans we have grown up knowing that a family consists of a mother and a father, not both of the same sexes. That being said every child should have the privilege to have both a mother and father like everyone else. In “Growing up with Gay Parents” the 3 year old son of Jen Bleakley and Nina Jacobson asked his lesbian mothers if he had a father. It shouldn’t be like that, yes a mother can step in and try to take the fatherly image but never will it be the same, to the little boy who sees other boys out and about with their fathers. In t...
One of the major controversial issues in this era is adoption and parenting of children by sex same couples. It is depressing and overwhelming to know that while various people around the world disapprove this adoption thousands of innocent kids aspire to be loved and protected without stereotypes.
The emergence of gays and lesbians from the shadows of perceived deviancy has led to the formation of civil unions and in an increasingly number of states, marriage. As society has become more open and accepting of homosexuals, an increased number of gay men and women have “come out” of the proverbial closet. These closeted individuals may have previously been married in heterosexual unions and produced offspring prior to freeing themselves of fear and societal constraints. This gives rise to a new interpretation of the blended family. The gay and lesbian blended family. Many gays and lesbians have opted to cohabitate as a family unit merging the heterosexual and homosexual familial entity. Despite the controversies, gays and lesbians with children are becoming more and more a part of the American family landscape. Increasingly, there are blended families with two moms or two dads. During the past decade, the number of same-sex households “grew significantly” in 10 states for which figures have been released: more than 700 percent in Delaware and Nevada; more than 400 percent in Vermont, Indiana, Louisiana and Nebraska; and more than 200 percent in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and
In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms. Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes.
Homosexual parents exhibit parenting capabilities equal to and sometimes better than heterosexual parents because in most cases they plan to become parents and are already stable. Research shows that the children of homosexual couples are on the same level as children from heterosexual parents in a variety of life-success measures. “…a psychologist at Clark University in Massachusetts who researches gay and lesbian parenting. Gays and lesbians rarely become parents by accident, compared with an almost 50 percent accidental pregnancy rate among heterosexuals, Goldberg said. "That translates to greater commitment on average and more involvement."And while research indicates that kids of gay parents show few differences inachievement, mental health, social functioning and other measures, these kids may have the advantage of open-mindedness, tolerance and role models for equitable relationships, according to some research.” (Pappas) People opposing same-sex parenting have assumptions that these children will suffer socially, mentally, and emot...
“Being gay is much more profound than simply a sexual relationship; being gay is part of that person’s core identity, and goes right to the very center of his being. It’s like being black in s society of whites, or a blonde European in a nation of black Asians” (Tamara L. Roleff). Although marriage, cohabitation and parenting styles of homosexual families pose no threats to the heterosexual society; many still believe same-sex marriage goes against its true purpose. “At the national level, American public opinion on the issue remains split (44 percent support legalizing same-sex marriage; 53 percent oppose same-sex marriage in a May 2010 Gallup Poll) even as opposition toward legalizing same-sex marriage is at its lowest point in decades (Jones, 2010)” (Amy B. Becker). Also to one’s surprise, among the vast amount of psychological disorders, homosexuality is not one. Homosexuals are just as capable of sustaining stable and successful relationships and families just as heterosexuals.
" The Apple doesn 't fall far from the tree". " Because your parents are gay, doesn 't that make you the same way?" These are things that many kids hear. You are expected to turn out to be like your parents. You are stereotyped the moment you are born. However, when you are the child of same-sex parents you not only get labeled as a homosexual, but you also get all the stigma that any adult homosexual may receive. LGBT parents are just as eligible to be parents as heterosexual couples and despite the long standing stereotype, the children of same sex couples should not be stuck under the same stereotype as their adult counterparts, and the sexuality of a couple should not validate societies need to assume the sexuality of their child.
Patterson, C. J. (1992). Children of lesbian and gay parents. Society for Research in Child Development, 63(5), 1025-1042. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.ep9301201145
Homosexuality is becoming more and more accepted and integrated into today’s society, however, when it comes to homosexuals establishing families, a problem is posed. In most states, homosexuals can adopt children like any other married or single adult. There are many arguments to this controversial topic; some people believe that it should be legal nationally, while others would prefer that is was banned everywhere, or at least in their individual states. There are logical reasons to allow gays to adopt children, but for some, these reasons are not enough. The main issue really is, what is in the best interest of the child? This type of problem isn’t really one with causes, effects, and solutions, but one with pros and cons. Like any other adoption situation, a parent prove themselves to be responsible and capable enough to raise a child on their own, or with a spouse.
Since the 1970s, studies on the effect of same-sex parenting on children have been conducted in the United States. Sociological debates have occurred from the idea of allowing same-sex couples to parent. Some groups feel that allowing this would undermine the traditional ideology of marriage and skew the perception of gender roles for their children. Sociologists continue to produce empirical research that studies samples of the approximately 125,000 same-sex couples raising nearly 220,000 children and comparing their roles as parents and the adult personalities of their children to children raised by heterosexual couples. Current scientific research comparing the outcomes of children raised by gay or lesbian parents with children of heterosexual parents consistently shows that same-sex parents are just as capable of raising “psychologically healthy and well-adjusted” children as heterosexual parents. Research comparing children raised by same-sex couples and heterosexual couples found no differences in the adjustment or mental health of these children as adults.
Of all topics most popular in today's media, issues concerning homosexuals and homosexuality in general top the list. Homosexuality is generally defined as a sexual relationship between partners of the same sex. Debate concerning its causes and consequences has been going on for many centuries and almost in every period in human history. However, never before in human history has it been granted such wide scale acceptance in western society as it has now. The question that I seek to answer in this paper is whether such wide scale acceptance should in fact be granted to homosexual behavior? Is such behavior rational, scientifically functional or is it actually detrimental to the high level of civilization that we've achieved?
There indicators of child developmental outcomes were categorized into parent and child relationship quality, children’s cognitive development, children’s gender role behavior, children’s gender identity, children’s sexual preference, and children’s social and emotional development. There analysis showed that children with same-sex parents fared equally to children raised by heterosexual parents when comparing developmental outcomes. Same-sex parents also reported a significantly better relationship with their children than heterosexual parents, which was measured by the parent or child perception of the quality of their relationship. This goes back to the argument that parent sexuality has no impact on the child but rather the relationship between the parent and the child has is the most impactful. In Crowl, Ahn and Baker (2008) meta-analysis study also found that the parent sexual orientation had no effect on gender identity, cognitive development, psychological adjustment, and sexual