Gay couples adopting children

[Caesar]

I know that this is a fairly new thing, but is there any conclusive evidence of psycological or emotional damage to children who have been adopted and raised by a same-sex couple? I know there are many claims that children raised from an early age by two men or two women could grow up with emotional problems, but I just want to get my facts on this straight.

 

[Caesar]

bump

 

[ElizaE]

I found the following articles.

J Biosoc Sci. 2006 May;38(3):413-8. *
Children of homosexuals and transsexuals more apt to be homosexual.Cameron P.
Do the sexual inclinations of parents influence those of their children? Of 77 adult children of homosexual parents who volunteered for three different investigations, at least 23 (30%) were currently homosexual: twelve (55%) of 22 daughters and three (21%) of fourteen sons of lesbians; five (29%) of seventeen daughters and three (17%) of eighteen sons of gays; none of six sons with both a gay and a lesbian parent. At least 25 (32%) were currently heterosexual. Of the ten with transsexual parents, one of nine daughters was currently lesbian, one was currently heterosexual, and one was transsexual. The son’s sexual preference was not reported. These findings suggest that parents’ sexual inclinations influence their children’s.

J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2005 Jun;26(3):224-40.
Lesbian mothers, gay fathers, and their children: a review.Tasker F.
There is a variety of families headed by a lesbian or gay male parent or same-sex couple. Findings from research suggest that children with lesbian or gay parents are comparable with children with heterosexual parents on key psychosocial developmental outcomes. In many ways, children of lesbian or gay parents have similar experiences of family life compared with children in heterosexual families. Some special considerations apply to the context of lesbian and gay parenting: variation in family forms, children’s awareness of lesbian and gay relationships, heterosexism, and homophobia. These issues have important implications for managing clinical work with children of lesbian mothers or gay fathers.

Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Jun;17(3):309-12.
**Reproduction in same sex couples: quality of parenting and child development. **Greenfeld DA
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Same sex couples are steadily becoming more open about their relationships. One consequence of this growing openness is that more couples of the same sex are choosing to have children and infertility treatment centers are increasingly faced with requests for assistance in creating these families. The aim of this review is to address new trends in reproduction in same sex couples, to consider the quality of parenting in lesbian mother and gay father households, and to review the literature on the development of children raised by same sex couples. RECENT FINDINGS: The current literature on these families is limited by small sample sizes and a predominance of studies of lesbian mothers and their children, with few studies of gay fathers and their children. A recent study of adolescents living with same sex parents recruited from a large national sample supports the notion that adolescents raised by same sex couples are doing well psychologically and are not more likely to be homosexual. The authors concluded that it was the quality of parenting, not parental sexual orientation that accounted for developmental differences. SUMMARY: The literature supports the notion that children of lesbian mothers and gay fathers are not more likely to become homosexual and are not measurably different from children raised by heterosexual parents in terms of personality development, psychological development, and gender identity. Larger longitudinal studies of same sex parents, particularly gay men, are needed, including those who choose to become parents through the use of assisted reproduction.
It looks like some of these contradict each other. If you would like the full articles let me know.

 

[Caesar]

Thank you Eliza.

 

[pira114]

I don’t think you need any “research” articles to determine this. It’s obviously wrong. If two men or women were meant to have children together, they would have been given the necessary biological equipment to do so on their own.

Our character and personalities are determined greatly by our environment. That’s pretty much a given. Do the math. Two people going against their nature raising a child. Both telling the child it’s O.K. to go against his nature. Of course he’ll be screwed up. He’ll eventually start recognizing his true nature and desires and wonder why his “parents” are denying theirs.

Add to this all the stuff he’ll have to endure growing up from his peers, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Do I think we should make laws to prevent gays from adopting? Heck yeah. Is it discriminatory? Maybe, but I don’t care. Protecting our children should be number one.

 

[hasikelee]

Hi,
Please don’t think I am trying to flame a thread, I honestly am seeking answers. So is it true that those who practice a homosexual lifestyle are more prone or have more stds than the average person?

I thought I read about how even homosexual couples cheat on each other: up to 11 partners every 6 months. Is this not a high danger for STDs?

And if this is true, then I would be against homosexual adoption for that reason alone, let alone anything else. I see a huge public concern here. You get two people with a high rate of STD infection who want a child in their home? Transmission from adult to child is going to be hard to prevent. So this little adopted kid gets Chlamydia, syphyilis, AIDs and whatnot, then goes to the public school and does something innocent, like throw-up on a sick day, or fall and scratch her knee, or anything else.

Now I’ve got to worry about kids on a playground who might have who knows what from their promiscuous, homosexual parents?

Gosh, I remember doing whacky things as a kid, like sharing food, making “spit” agreements (spit on your hand, shake it and kiss it) scratched knees, nosebleeds, sharing clothes, etc.

If it is true that the average homosexual couple has a higher rate of infection that the average person, I think this is a humongous public concern that should have federal and state regulation/prohibition.

So much for the “what I do in my bedroom is none of your busines…”

 

[ElizaE]

I do not agree with you about the infection among homosexuals and transmission to the children. This is a slippery slope argument because there are many heterosexuals that get STDs. Whether this keeps them from being good parents is a good question but it is universal meaning not specific to sexaul orientation.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are caught via sexual intercourse… well mostly. Of course mother to child transmission can occur and all children get optic antibiotic to prevent gonorrhea infections of the eye after birth. Syphilis, same thing. Unless you happen to touch a baby’s nose that got the infection from its mother and it is now shedding the disease. AIDS: kind of hard to give it to a kid or anyone without having sex or sharing needles. Herpes: you have an aunt with HSV type I and kisses your child, oops.

I hardly think that a child of homosexual parents has any more chance of being infected with an STD than a child of heterosexual parents that have an STD.

Not to say that I agree with homosexuals adopting children, I just do not base that decision on the fact that the child could catch a disease from them.

 

[mlchance]

I hardly think that a child of homosexual parents has any more chance of being infected with an STD than a child of heterosexual parents that have an STD.

You could be right, but not only do homosexuals (especially homosexual men) have significantly higher rates of STDs that do heterosexuals, but homosexual men are also greatly overrepresented in statistics related to the sexual abuse of minors. On another front, lesbian couples have higher rates of domestic abuse and violence than even co-habitating heterosexual couples.

The reaons to not favor letting homosexual couples adopt children are legion.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[goravens]

I can provide some anecdotal information, as a social worker who works with children and families. I’ve had a couple families where a lesbian couple had adopted children. The children needed mental health services, not necessarily because their parents were gay, but because they had been adopted at older ages (not as babies) and had experieced abuse/neglect prior to their adoptions. Consequently, they were acting out quite a bit and showing some severe behavior problems. That’s really common for older adopted kids who come into our services, irregardless of whether the parents are heterosexual or homosexual.

What I can say is that for the most part the homosexual couples seemed to be somewhat “out of balance”. For example, both parents might be extremely rigid in their expectations of that child’s behavior to the point where it was extreme and perfection was expected. Generally, the heterosexual parents we work with seem to be more balanced - one parent might be rigid, but the other is more open to letting some things go, accepting new ideas, etc. and they work together well as a team to parent that child. Again, this is just anecdotal but it makes sense to me - there are obvious differences and strengths in gender that come into play in relationships and that includes parenting.