Is the sexual orientation of gay parents harmful to
their children?
Resources used to support "no."
Parenthood involves a relationship of care, support and
responsibility for raising a child. Children have no problems
understanding love and do not start out with preconceived notions
of whom they should and shouldn't love. Many studies have shown
that homosexual parents can raise healthy, happy and well-adjusted
children just as successfully as can heterosexual parents. And
children of homosexual parents are no more likely to become gay
than children of heterosexual parents. (Dawn Burden)
WWW
- Same-Sex Parenting
This article is a brief description of the Hawaii
same-sex marriage trial. It discusses how both sides of the case
agree that healthy, well-adjusted children are what are most
important. Many professional testified and are quoted on the basis
that homosexual parenting in not harmful to children. [Recommended
by Dawn Burden.]
- A
Different Father's Day: New Jersey Gay Couples Can Adopt
Jointly
This article provided by the Family Pride Coalition
discusses a class action lawsuit won by a New Jersey gay couple to
adopt their son. It opened the acceptance of gay and lesbian
adoption and foster parenting without their sexual orientation or
marital status being an issue. [Recommended by Dawn Burden
.]
- Lesbian and Gay Parenting: A
Fact Sheet
This article provided by the Lambda Legal Defense and
Education Fund discusses the legal obstacles that homosexual
parents face. These obstacles are lessening due to evidence that
sexual orientation has nothing to do with good parenting skills or
with the ability to raise a child. The article also discusses the
"nexus approach" that many courts are adopting that makes one prove
that another person's sexual orientation is harmful to a child
before it can become relevant in court. [Recommended by Dawn
Burden.]
Journal Articles
- Bile, Michael. 1005. "Of Boys and Toys." Psychology
today (May 1995), 28(3):26-27.
This article discusses how we develop our sexual
orientation and concludes that it is not influenced by the
homosexual or heterosexual orientation of ones's parents. Sexual
orientation is not environmentally transmitted. [Recommended by
Dawn Burden.]
Books
- Miller, D.A. 1993. Coping When a Parent is Gay.
This book discusses the meaning of a family and why
families with homosexual parents are a little different, but still
OK. It gives real stories of families with gay parents and what
they go through - and how to deal with problems. [Recommended by
Dawn Burden.]
- Martin, A. 1993. The Lesbian and Gay Parenting
Handbook.
This book discusses homosexual couples' decisions to
become parents and their options of having a child. Topics include
the legal issues involved in adoption, raising children, family
life of homosexual parents, and dealing with breakups of homosexual
parents and couples. It is a very informative book that covers
many different aspects of homosexual parents and couples.
[Recommended by
Dawn Burden.]
