Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, And Transgender Parents

Younger children usually have an easier time adjusting to a gay and lesbian parented home. They haven’t learned the social biases against gays and lesbians yet.” (Nighlad).

Attention getter: Discrimination against gay men and lesbian women has been socially recognized for hundreds of years and still continues today. Homosexuals have adopted children for many years, regardless of fear and prejudice. The controversy of this matter is why homosexuals are not presented the equal fairness of the process and open opportunity as heterosexual couples who seek to adopt or foster children. There is a certain extent to which the sexual orientation of couples (or single potential parents) seeking to adopt children impede on the opportunity to provide children with a permanent and stable home.

Same-sex parenting is taken both in positive and negative sense but even then it is regarded more as a family issue. There is a concept that where lives a same-sex couples, there must be children raised by them. Then it comes to mind that which sort of children? Such children may be divided into three groups: (Kurtz, 2004)

This study was conducted in the Netherlands. First, the authors studied the association between “parental characteristics” and “child-rearing” factors. Second, they examined the “child adjustment” in planned lesbian mothers families and in heterosexual parents families. 100 planned lesbian mothers families were recruited through the Medical Center for Birth Control, homosexual parenting experts, the Dutch advocate group for homosexuality, and advertisement in the lesbian magazine. Compatible 100 heterosexual parents families were

“There is no scientific basis for concluding that lesbian mothers or gay fathers are unfit parents on the basis of their sexual orientation” (Armesto, 2002; Patterson, 2000; Tasker & Golombok, 1997). Ever since gay and lesbians have been parents people have questioned how the parents’ sexual orientation impacts child and adolescent development. Opponents of same-sex parents argue that sexual orientation has a negative impact on child development, while proponents argue that the relationship between the child and parents is what matters. National, state, and local governments are faced with the controversy surrounding same-sex parenting. People have very strong opinions on both sides of the argument. Children and adolescents who are under lesbian or gay parents have normal child development compared with children under heterosexual parents. These children develop normally socially, mentally, and academically.

It can be very difficult for LGBTQ children to be open about their sexuality or gender orientation, especially if they do not receive support from the ones who are supposed to love them no matter what. Parents positively influence the health of their LGBTQ children by providing support an encouragement. Children should be able to talk to their parents about their issues and receive beneficial advice and support. Parents’ influence on the health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens: What parents and families should know explained that parents who support their LGBTQ children decrease the risk of the children becoming depressed, abusing drugs or alcohol, and committing suicide(Centers for Disease Control). Therefore, I believe that parents of LGBTQ youth can have a significant impact on the health of their children. As a country, we must encourage each other to accept people for who they are. It is imperative that this acceptance beings in the home and at

Good parenting is not influenced by sexual orientation, but by parents creating a loving and nurturing home. With increased inclusiveness, more children are now in homes with qualified parents over being in the state system. Adoptive parents are being discriminated on adopting children based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status and so more children are “aging out” of the foster care system. Children are aging out of foster care because the federal government is not allowing parents to adopt based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status and those children are going without having the loving and nurturing home that they need so the Every Child Deserves a Family Act should be put in place.

According to a primary source, Katy Faustfaced, who wrote the article, Kids Like Me Need a Mom and a Dad, “A child raised by same- sex parents (like myself) have all received threats to our jobs, harassment to our family and friends, and abusive language from those who espouse openness and tolerance.” Katy goes on to say, “In our current political climate, it's easy to understand why children with gay parents might not feel comfortable voicing misgivings about their upbringings.” Although an overwhelming number (92%) of LBGT adults saw society becoming more accepting over the last decade, reports of discriminations continued in various forms (Frank).

parenthood and will be extremely motivated and are well resourced. The purpose of this study was to investigate how parents’ sexual orientation can have an impact on their children’s lives. However, Goldberg & Kashy & Smith (2012) suggested that future studies should not only control parental characteristics, but also cautiously examine the children in each group of families. They concluded that investigators should be aware of the results before concluding what influence parental sexual orientation had on children’s gender development, due to the lack of clarity in the field. Goldberg & Kashy & Smith (2012) stated that some lesbian mothers contribute in many ways when it comes to fostering masculine traits in their sons and feminine traits in their daughters. Altogether, Goldberg & Kashy & Smith (2012) have progressed the debate on the idea that parental gender draws attention to the growing and continuing studies of parental sexual orientation and gender roles and how that affects child development, in order to educate society. Jacson, Ianlongo and Stollak (1986) studied the relationships between three parental factors and the presence of both masculine and feminine traits in young adults. Both parents and children self-related femininity and masculinity were also examined. There were a total of 184 participants (75 males and 109 females) chosen from a population of 1780 undergraduates who completed the Short Form of the Bem Sex Role Inventory at the beginning of the term.

Gay parents are facing discrimination because of their sexual orientation. Twenty-two states currently allow single gays to adopt and 21 states currently allow gay and lesbian couples to adopt in the U.S. (Mallon, 2007, p. 6). The ability of gay couples to rear a child should not be denied only because they are gay. Homosexuals may be looked down upon by society, but they still are humans and have morals. These morals they possess, may influence a child more than those morals taught to a child with heterosexual parents. All over the world, children suffer in families consisting of alcoholics, drug abusers, and sexual abusers (Powell, 2007, p.1). It is not possible that these environments are safer than what would be provided by homosexual

Gay parenting is an issue that affects a great number of people worldwide. Although the number is a minority, the issue still causes heated debate. People who are in favor of Gay, Lesbian, and Bi-Sexual parenting rights claim that as long as there is a commitment to parenthood then successful parenting is achievable as a homosexual or bi-sexual. Since within a gay couple there is no chance for accidental pregnancy, the couple must make a conscious decision to become a parent. People opposed to homosexual parenting argue that homosexual couples are not capable of having long enduring strong relationships required for the successful upbringing of children. They claim it is in the child's best interest to

Traditional families are the way to go, no one wants to see two girls or two guys together and a homosexual couple especially bringing a child into the mix and having the child go through all the rough times that they went through as an adult. Gay and lesbian parenting is an accepted problem that people watch occur every single day, and that should not have to see. The role of gay parenting is ruining; the traditional family aspect of a childhood, the way the children are treated in schools, and it also is a threat to religion. The way people live today should be the traditional way of the families and children should be brought up, and not by lesbian or gay parents so that the kids would not have a mom or a dad and the way that would make

The social science research that is routinely repeated does not actually speak on the subject questions of whether or not children need both a mother and a father at home. Instead proponents generally cite research that compares [heterosexual two-parent] families with single parents, this conflates the number with the gender of parents," the authors write. Indeed, there are far more similarities than differences among children of lesbian and heterosexual parents, according to the study. On average, two mothers tended to play with their children more, were less likely to use physical discipline, and were less likely to raise children with chauvinistic attitudes. Studies of gay male families are still limited. However, like two heterosexual parents, new parenthood among lesbians increased stress and conflict, exacerbated by general lack of legal recognition of commitment. Also, lesbian biological mothers typically assumed greater caregiving responsibility than their partners, reflecting inequities among heterosexual couples.

In a historic study of children raised by homosexual parents, sociologist Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas at Austin has overturned the conventional academic wisdom that such children suffer no disadvantages when compared to children raised by their married mother and father. Just published in the journal Social Science Research, a careful, rigorous, and methodologically study

Homosexuality in general seems to be more accepted than a few decades ago. However, despite the progress the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) civil right movement has had in recent times, there are still great debates and consequences for the gay community (Slenders, Sieben & Verbakel, 2014). Moreover, a sensitive issue concerning gay marriage and allowing same-sex parenting children evokes great controversies. Thus, qualitative research methods such as interviews, ethnography or focus groups can be appropriate in this area in order to gain insights of people’s opinion such as gay or lesbian parents. Is there a difference in same-sex parenting? Does parental sexual orientation affect child development? This essay will illustrate how qualitative methods can be useful in gathering information, opinions and attitudes of gay couples towards same-sex parenting. This essay will outline two qualitative methods according to this issue and critically evaluate which of the two qualitative methods (ethnography or interviews) could be appropriate in approaching this social issue. In conclusion, the essay will explain why ethnography is a more suitable approach to this topic rather than interview approach.