Stigma, Facts And Solutions : Raising Same Sex Families

This article talks about the support of second parent adoption for gays everywhere. They support the idea that children with two capable adults no matter what gender are able and should be able to care for a child. Although they support this, the article does not show any sort of negativity toward the opposite side relating the issue. The site details the rights that the second parent should be guaranteed through an adoption. They also think that pediatricians and other professions dealing with children should get more familiar with learning about gays and the children they adopt. The authors are the Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. The people in the committee have many different backgrounds and are advocates for children’s

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)

William Saletan – a writer interested in political, scientific, and technological topics and a contributor to the online pop magazine Slate – published the informative and well-written article Back in the Gay in Slate Magazine. The main purpose of the article is to reveal whether same-sex couples are appropriate and harmless when it comes to parenting and raising a child. In order to strengthen his points and intensify the degree of persuasion in his argument, he provides us with various scientific studies and research concerning the addressed issue. William Saletan’s sole aim is to deliver the message to the readers that it is a common misconception and entirely false to claim that same-sex couples build a toxic environment as unfit parents,

In today’s society, the topic of same sex relationships is highly debated; with the issue that is of most concern being the social and emotional wellbeing of children who are raised in same sex relationships. “How might a child’s general well-being be affected by these primary caregivers versus have a more traditional family?”(Journalist Reference, 2015) is one of the many questions being asked as a part of this debate. This study meets the ‘Socio Cultural’ Area Of Study because it is investigating the social and emotional wellbeing of a child and the family structure in which they are in.

Interestingly, a recent case has further infringed upon the ability of gay partners to adopt a child in their marriage, thus highlighting the precarious legal status of a gay parent. In the case of Amalia C. and Melissa M., “Brooklyn Surrogate’s Court judge, Margarita López Torres, ruled on Jan. 6 that because New York State had enacted same-sex marriage in 2011 and allowed both women to be listed on the boy’s birth certificate, Amalia was already the child’s parent and could not adopt him.” (McKinley) This ruling has been troubling to gay rights advocates “because the presumption of parentage may not be respected if they leave the state,” according to Susan Sommer, a lawyer with the Lambda Legal Defense Fund (McKinley). Judge Torres, however, has stated openly that her reason for the ruling was because it places gay marriage on a separate footing from traditional marriage and while she is sensitive to the needs of those whose marriages may not be recognized in another state, she must abide by the laws of New York, which do not allow a heterosexual spouse to adopt a stepchild (McKinley).

“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.

Can a parent’s sexuality influence the way their child is raised? The only way a parent’s sexuality could influence the way a child is raised is by the mistreatment of LGBTQ parents when it comes to adoption or birth through a sperm donor. I will include many examples of mistreatment to LGBTQ parents all over the world, and explain how this mistreatment is the only reason a parent’s sexuality could bring any negativity into the child’s life. I plan on answering the question with evidence and examples from different countries. There are many different viewpoints on the influences of gay and lesbian parenting, whether through adoption, the use of a sperm donor, or a child a spouse could have had before their (often same-sex) relationship. Most people think a parent’s sexuality will negatively influence a child’s life or the way the child is raised. Through several articles I will detail the mistreatment of LGBTQ in the parental community and explain why a parent’s sexuality is completely irrelevant to the raising of a child.

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

Recent estimates suggest that between 2.0 and 3.7 million children are being raised by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adults in the United States, according to the 2013 National Health Interview Survey and Gallup Poll data (Gates, 2014). The battle of equal right in many aspects for gay and lesbian couples have been going on for years, and although significant progress has been made, there are many aspects within their relationships that are not yet equal to heterosexual couples in similar situations. Gay and lesbian couples have to deal with daily discrimination within issues such as marriage, legal issues, medical issues, and mamy forms for homophobia. Adoption has been a big question and fight for gay and lesbian couples for many years, one that is still being found today. Questions of whether or not a gay or lesbian couple can “properly” raise a healthy child, if the child’s psychological development would be compromised, any many other arguments have been proposed in disapproval of adoption for these couples. Adoption is a tedious process for a heterosexual married couple and the challenges and hoops needed to be jumped through to finalize the process can be even more difficult for homosexual couples and single gay or lesbian individuals.

Studies also show that children brought up in homosexual households have the tendency to have more problems in school, work, and finding friends who don't look at them differently. Children have a fundamental liberty interest in receiving the care, companionship and society of both of their natural parents. At birth, a child has no material possessions and no hope of independent survival. Whether it is biological, or psychological, the bilateral bond that unites a mother and father to their child is all that ensures its survival. A child's adolescent years are very influential what type of adult the child turns out to be in the future. A child's morals are instilled from a young age. Same sex marriages can not instill

Same-sex marriage and same-sex parenting are comparatively new controversial topics in today’s world and its “mainstream” morality. I was not exposed to any homosexual “lifestyle” while growing up. While I know that I am firmly traditional in my theological views, nevertheless, I firmly believe that traditional marriage and traditional parenting are devotional commitments between a man and a woman. Therefore, same-sex marriage and same-sex parenting are to me, issues concerning a society with strong traditional cultural identities. It seems that homosexuals feel excluded from society because heterosexuals are intolerant of gay cultural practices. I also firmly believe that same-sex couples should not be able to adopt because the homosexuality of the relationship would have an adverse influence and impact on the adopted child. Same-sex couples should not have the legal right to adopt because it limits the children, and their ability to explore and to express their individuality and orientation. What I mean is that, by having same-sex parents, the adopted children are deprived of a fully informed choice to determine decisive roles and sexual orientation. Same-sex couples should have the right to personally express who they are and how they are feeling; however, not through their marriage and adoptive parenting. They lately seem to be obsessed with their world and creating an environment to force us to notice them by their “flamboyant”

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.

In our society the sanctity of marriage, for both male and female has drastically changed and evolved into the acceptance of same-sex marriages (Hansen, 1997). Essentially, marriage that is a sacred union between both male and female, preserved by religious, family and political institutions, is now obsolete in our present civilization. For many people, they have accepted the norm that every person has equal rights to choose his or her stance on same-sex marriages, and the government cannot restrict their liberties, yet for others, they cringe at the notion of this taboo topic since they do not know how far the status quo can be altered and even so preserved. They understand that the typical nuclear family, which was once a husband, wife and kids, is now being transformed, adopted and accepted to same-sex couples that are seeking to have children, adopt and raise children as their own (Gold, 1994). This raises many questions and concerns if same-sex marriages are negative impact on a child, or on the plus side, a benefit for a child’s upbringing and success. This field of same-sex marriages is open to many mixed opinions and studies, yet the underlining concern needs to be the safety and welfare of the child (Rauch J, 2009). It is definitely fair to agree that this subject of raising children within same-sex marriages will definitely have some sort of outcomes on the child. This can only be explained through literature, theories and investigations that show the

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.