The National Lgbti Health Alliance Essay

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,

Most LGBT youth become happy with who they are which gives them room to thrive during their adolescent years. Attending a school that has a safe and comfortable environment for every student is especially important. Positive environments can help all youth achieve good grades and maintain good mental and physical health. However, some youths are more likely than their straight peers to experience bad health and life outcomes. Experiences with violence, compared to other students, come easy to LGBT individuals that can cause increased risks for unfortunate circumstances.‘Violence’ includes behaviors such as teasing, harassment, and physical assault. It is important that students at risk have access to resources and support to deal with any questions or challenges they may have or face as they mature. Surveyed LGBT students reported 10% were threatened or injured, 34% were bullied, and 28% were bullied electronically.

“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.

Children being raised by same-sex couples is not uncommon and not different compared to different-sex couples. The only difference between childhood development with same-sex parents, as opposed to different-sex parents, is that more same-sex households have to deal with the biological parents of the child (“Same-Sex” 1). The child’s development is not altered by the gender of the parents but by society shaming their family and the biological parents metaling in the child’s

(Chiles) This study confirms that parenting by same-sex couples is the same or better than heterosexual homes and are more welcoming and ready to provide safety to children in contrast what other people say. Some people argue that children raised in a same-sex home can cause psychological damage but “high-risk children adopted from foster care do equally well when placed with gay, lesbian or heterosexual parents, UCLA psychologists report in the first multi-year study of children adopted by these three groups of parents.”(Wolpert). These studies also confirm that same-sex couples are indeed doing well raising children. No matter what gender or sexual preference, everyone should be equally treated and have same rights as anybody else. It hasn’t been proven that same-sex parents affect the development of a child’s life, in contrast, they have the opportunity to grow up in a home surrounded by the values of compassion and love. Question is, shouldn’t the main issue be what the best interest of the child is? When evaluating a potential person as a parent the main thing should be if the person is caring, stable and devoted not the individual’s sexual orientation. Homosexual’s parental

Gay bulling is a tragic epidemic that often occurs on school campuses. Every 9 out of 10 gay students experience harassment at school. Due to these catastrophic situations, gay youths are 3 times more likely to commit suicide than any other youths. Though incidents of school bullying are very common, celebrities and nationally known figures have instituted an Internet campaign that attempts to encourage gay youths by reminding them that it does get better. They encourage gay youths that they are not alone by telling them that they futures after school hold something better. ABC’s “What would you do” segment featured teen actors bullying a gay classmate in a public area.

The daily life of children in homosexual families will help to further advance a better understanding of the daily family life of children with parents of the same sex. Research shows that children within these same-sex families have an “inclusive and flexible” (Bosisio 9) representation of family. Along with this representation in, “Peer Relations Among Adolescents With Female Same-Sex Parents” this “suggests that important decisions about adolescent lives (such as custody determinations) should be made not on the basis of parental sexual orientation, but by focusing instead on the qualities of adolescents’ relationships with parents” (Wainright 125). Quality of parent-child relationship is an important factor in any family. As this is seen as a similarity between the heterosexual and homosexual families, there is also that one up that a statement has to be made about child on behalf of their parent’s sexual orientation. “Children are uniquely vulnerable. A range of international human rights laws aim to protect the family rights of children and recognise that the family often makes a vital contribution to the happiness and security of children’s lives” (Hodson 519). Children in general do not have a choice to what type of family dynamic they become involved in. Whether they are born into a family, or adopted into one, it is not based on the choice of the child. Because of this, the happiness of these children comes into question. A valid family by law is not continuous throughout the world, so if the family is not recognized as real, it effects the children, and leads them to question then what they are. In opposition to Bossio’s claim that children have a inclusive and flexible description of family is the work of Jacky Coates’ and Richard Sullivna’s, “Achieving Competent Family Practice with Same-Sex Parents,” they claim that “we do not yet live in a post-heterosexist world, and

As legal issues pertaining to homosexual have received more national attention, courts around the world have been reconsidering gays’ and lesbians’ rights in parenting and custody cases. But the general assumption that homosexual parents have adverse effects on the psychological and social development on a child makes it extremely difficult for gays and lesbians to become parents. However, the validity of this assumption is highly disputable as both parties claim to have statistical evident.

The purpose of this study was to add the growing literature on bullying and suicide among sexual minorities. To do this they examined public high school students by gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual minority status differences in the victims of bullying, those who report suicide ideation, and the association between being bullied and suicide ideation. This study used state and local data from the 2009 and 2011 YRBS. In 2009, a sexual orientation survey was asked in 8

In DesRoches and Sweet’s article, the question of effectiveness in LGBTQ anti-bullying programs are addressed. Although good intentions are behind the methodologies used to reduce discrimination of minority with these programs, our societies heteronormative standards may counteract the effects. Therefore, to create an effective program addressing LGBTQ, society must first reconstruct its foundational base. The base in this case, is societies heteronormative outlook on life. Heteronormativity believes that heterosexuality is the natural way of life, which leads to oppression and discrimination of other sexual orientations. This view on sexual orientation may create a negative environment, homophobia and heterosexism. Society must attempt to redefine its norms in order to accommodate its citizens. Additionally, the authors suggest that societies heteronormative standard may often lead to “cloaked bullying”, which may severely impact an individual’s identity (174). Specifically, in educational institutions, LGBTQ individuals may not have the same resources as everyone else, leaving them to cope with their problems privately. All in all, there are issues with LGBTQ programs which need to be reconstructed by eliminating our heteronormative outlook.

Over the past decade, there has been a growing body of research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. Compared to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority (LGBT) youth struggle significantly, as they try to navigate through the social stigma attached to their sexual orientation. This population faces significant struggles due to a lack of social support, a hostile school environment, and incidences of bullying, harassment, and physical abuse. Compared to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority youth report experiencing more harassment and discrimination, due to their sexual orientation or gender expression. These experiences also include verbal and physical harassment, sexual harassment, isolation from peers, and difficulty

Raising children has always been a popular topic all around the world and many question the parenting techniques that adults may use when raising a child and if their techniques will prove to be successful in the future. When thinking of a traditional way of raising children one may see a mother and a father raising their children together and with perfection. However society has adapted a new meaning of family. Same-sex couples now have the right to love each other legally and many associate the word “love” with their children. One may question whether a same sex couple will have the ability to raise children the same way heterosexual couples raise their children. What separates heterosexual couples from homosexual couple’s ability to parent? How is it that those raised by same-sex couples turnout to be the most accepting and loving people?

School Bullying, violence against LGBT youth linked to risk of suicide, HIV infection. (2011, June 2) Women’s Health Weekly, 138. Retrieved from

To have a better understanding on why same sex parenting should be commonly accepted, one must acknowledge the opposing