Same-sex parents and their children
Nowadays, the question of gay marriage is one of the most heated and controversial. Over the years, same-sex couples are fighting for the legal recognition for their marriages and their right as parents. Parenthood is one of the most valuable experiences in a human life. After finding a partner, it is natural for people to want to raise children. Homosexual parent are the same in ability and commitment to raised healthy children. It would be a big step for improvement in our society to provide necessary support and rights for same-sex couples and their children.
“According to the 2000 Census, there are approximately 594,000 same-sex partner households and there are children living in approximately 27 percent of those households (uscensusbureau.com).” Number of these children continues to rise. Some couples bring their children from their previous heterosexual or same-sex relationships. Some of them adopt or use donor insemination or surrogacy. Although, the ability of gay and lesbian couples to be effective parents has been questioned, many researches showed that the children raised by lesbian mothers or gay fathers did not differ from the children raised by “traditional” heterosexual unions.
In their study of children adopted by gay and lesbian couples Erich and his colleagues (2005) observed 68 families which parents were gay or lesbian and 43 families which parents were heterosexual. They reported, “no significant differences in children’s conduct or in family functioning associated with parental sexual orientation (Erich et al., 2005).” There were many other researches done on the matter of gay parenting paying close attention to children’s personal development and social relationshi...
... middle of paper ...
...rks Cited
Stephen Erich, Patrick Leung, Peter Kindle. “A Comparative Analysis of Adoptive Family Functioning with Gay, Lesbians, and Heterosexual Parents and their Children.” Journal of GLBT Studies 1.4 (2005): 43-60. Web. 30 Jul. 2010
US Census Bureau. Married-couple and Unmarried-partner Households: 2000. By Tavia Simmons and Martin O’Connell. Feb. 2003. Census 2000 Special Reports. Web. Jul. 30.
Charlotte J. Patterson. “Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents. Psychology, Law, and Policy.” American Psychologist. Nov. 2009. Web. Jul. 30.
Deanna Linville, PhD, and Maya O’Neil, MS. “Same-sex Parents and Their Children.” American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. 2002. Web. Jun. 30.
Pruett, K. D. (2000). Fatherneed: Why father care is as essential as mother care for your child. New York: Free Press. Web. Jul. 30.
Gay marriage further damages the connection between marriage and parenthood by causing people to not consider marriagement just to be a parent. He later on argues that marriage has been a tradition since the beginning of time and everything supports it. “The family, led by a married mother and father, is the best available structure for both child rearing and cultural health. This is why, although some people will always pair off in unorthodox ways, society as a whole must never legitimize any form of marriage other than that of one man and one woman, united with the intention of permanency and the nurturing of children” (Colson
The role of a father is more than just another parent at home (Popenoe, 1996). Having a father, the male biological parent in a child’s life is important because it brings a different type of parenting that cannot be replicated by anyone else (Stanton, 2010). Fathers who are present and active in a child’s life provide great benefits to a developing child (Popenoe, 1996). Having a father brings a different kind of love. The love of the father is more expectant and instrumental, different from the love of a mother (Stanton, as cited in Pruett, 1987).
Bos, H. M., Van Balen, F., & Van den Boom, D. C. (2007). Child adjustment and parenting in planned lesbian-parent families. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77, 38-48. doi:
Discrimintaion and equality in society is faced amongst people every day. One certain subject that seems to get most of this attention is whether or not homosexual couples should be able to adopt. Same sex couples should be able to adopt children for many reasons. Children that are raised by same sex parents are predominantly taught to be more open minded, have a greater sense of tolerance, and are thought of to be role models for equality in relationships and life. Most would say that these children will face issues regarding their parents sexual orientation, but this is not so. Children of same sex parents have studied to show very few differences in achievement, mental health, and social function as a child that is raised in a heterosexual household. Same sex parents will allow their child to express themselves through different talents and other attributes that there child seems to be indulged in. These children are often showing more loving, nurturing ,and outgoing behaviors that is exposed to them through gay parenting.
Perrin, Ellen C., and Benjamin S. Siegel. "Promoting the Well-Being of Children Whose Parents Are Gay or Lesbian." Pediatrics 131.4 (2013): 1374-383. PDF file.
JaeRan, K. (2013, March 5). Report on children adopted by gay and lesbian couples - Stability, Permanency and Adoption Blog. Report on children adopted by gay and lesbian couples - Stability, Permanency and Adoption Blog. Retrieved May 13, 2014, from http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cascw/adoption/2013/03/report-on-children-adopted-by-gay-and-lesbian-couples.html
Shapiro, Joseph P., Gregory Stephen. “Kids with Gay Parents.” U.S News and World Report. 121.11
Second parent adoption is an important tool utilized by same-sex couples in an effort to protect their parental rights in states where same sex marriage is not recognized. Although gay and lesbian paren...
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. The argument sexual orientation interferes with ones parenting skills is common belief that Charlotte J. Patterson identifies as myth in her work, Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children, suggesting the belief that “lesbians’ and gay men’s relationships with sexual partners leave little time for ongoing parent–child interactions.” In the Who is Mommy tonight? case study, how 18 lesbian adoptive parents, 49 lesbian parents who formed their families biologically, and 44 heterosexual adoptive parents experience and perceive their parenting role, how they respond when their children seek them or their partner for particular nurturing, and how the parents negotiate the cultural expectation of a primary caregiver (Ciano-Boyce & Shelley-Sireci, 2002) is looked at.
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.
A father is someone who protects, loves, supports and raises his children, whether they are biologically related or not. Every single person living on the Earth has a biological father. These biological fathers are supposed to take the responsibility of being a father because they did help bring a child into this world. One of the main responsibilities of a father is providing the child with the necessities of life, which include food, shelter, and clothes. Not only is a father responsible for the physical aspect but the emotional aspect as well. Children need to feel loved, cared for, and emotional support from their parents. A child needs to be reassured, so a father must show his affection, both physically and emotionally. A father needs to be involved in his children’s life. He needs to be a problem solver, playmate, provider, preparer, and he has to have principles. A father has to pr...
Families and Living Arrangements. Us Department of Justice Census Bureau website. U.S. Census Bureau. March 2010.
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
Adopting children in that environment would lack both mother and father figure in their life. For example, “Children without a father figure would have higher risks of early sexual activity and teen pregnancy; however, children without a mother figure deprive emotional security and unique advice that mothers provide (Pro Con).” The question is raised, should adopted children be reared and educated into a lifestyle that isn’t natural before they are old enough to understand the discrepancies? Young children that grow up in same-sex marriage environment may experience confusion and embarrassment in public surroundings; likewise, young adults and teenagers who have family members or who are personally members of the LGBT community may experience embarrassment and unusual social pressure. Children in a stable family with both mother and father figure would provide the best environment for them to mature and be responsible. Some same-sex family dynamics are from previous heterosexual marriages; therefore, this could affect the relationship between children and the immediate family members. Being part of the LGBT community could influence immediate and extended family on whether they accept or reject their relationship to the
Marriage naturally creates families; it provides the conditions for a healthy environment that is beneficial to the upbringing of children. Opponents of same-sex marriage often ground their arguments on parental and religious concerns. Many argue that sa...