LGBTQ Parenting

866 Words2 Pages

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning Parenting
America, being the diverse country that it is, has moved on from the idea of the traditional family; one father one mother and 2 children. We are seeing more and more homosexual couples having, adopting and raising their own children. Although some people do not approve of this idea of a family, whether it is due to religious beliefs or just the way that the individuals were raised as a child, it is definitely a reality. They face many obstacles when it comes to them wanting to be parents. People say it is not right, and that it is unnatural, which I feel they think that they have to be twice as “perfect” as the heterosexual parents are. In this paper I plan to discuss the issues that Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) families go through while trying to start a family of their own. The issues will range from adoption and the issues faced in trying to adopt a child, to custody battles and how sexual orientation could play a role in the “well-being” of a child, to how being brought up by a LGBTQ headed home could affect, if in any way, a child’s development.
Society’s Effects on Gay Parenting
As a LGBTQ headed family the pressures of society can weigh heavy on the way you raise your child. In a recent article written by Lev (2010) it was found that the LGBTQ headed families often felt extreme pressure to be sure to raise a heterosexual child or children as well as a child or children who behave in such ways as a “normal” person of their gender would typically behave. Society puts a strain on being normal. The child is not worried about whether they act gender appropriate nor do they care about sexuality. Society is too focused on something t...

... middle of paper ...

...z, T. J., & Savci, E. (2010). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00714.x
Goldberg, N. (2010). Gay families and the court: The quest for equal rights. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 2(3), 216-218. doi: 10.1111/j.1756-2589.2010.00056.x
Patterson, C. J. (1992). Children of lesbian and gay parents. Society for Research in Child Development, 63(5), 1025-1042. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.ep9301201145
Lev, A. I. (2010). How queer!—the development of gender identity and sexual orientation in lgbt-headed families. Family Process, 49(3), 268-290. doi: 10.1111/j.1545- 5300.2010.01323.x
Tye, M. C. (2005). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered parents special considerations for the custody and adoption evaluator. Family Court Review, 41(1), 92-103. doi: 10.1111/j.174-1617.2003.tb00871.x

Show More
Related

  • Adoption Options in Louisiana for Same-Sex Couples are Extremely Limited

    1532 Words  | 4 Pages

    Second parent adoption is an important tool utilized by same-sex couples in an effort to protect their parental rights in states where same sex marriage is not recognized. Although gay and lesbian paren...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Obergefell V. Hodges

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    Abstract On June 26, 2015 a divided Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples could now marry nationwide. At the time of the split ruling there were 9 supreme court justices, 5 of the justices were Republicans, and the remaining 4 were Democrats. In high profile cases it is except that the justices will vote along party lines. When the 5-4 ruling was reveled by the following statement. “It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right (Corn,2015).” written by

    Read More

  • Born Gay: Truth and Circumstances.

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tori, DeAngelis. "New data on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Mental Health." www.apa.org/monitor/feb02/newdata.aspx . N.p., 12 february 2002. Web. 9 Apr 2014.

    Read More

  • The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    The ruling of Baehr vs. Lewin was a victory for gay rights activists, hope for other states searching for the same freedom, and disappointment for opponents of same-sex marriage. Yet this victory was short lived (until complete legalization in November 13, 2013) since the state appealed the lower court’s decis...

    Read More

  • Homosexual Parenting: Yay or Nay ?

    1443 Words  | 3 Pages

    Homosexuality as a whole has been and is still a very controversial topic globally. There are many different kinds of discussions about the LGBT community, such as gays and lesbians being parents. Some critics tend to believe that homosexual parenting is bad for kids, as if a person’s sexuality determines whether or not they are a good parent.. There is no definite proof that being homosexual makes you a good or bad parent. So, there is no way of being one-hundred percent sure that homosexual parenting results in gender role confusion, psychological harm, or a child being homosexual themselves.

    Read More

  • Homosexual Rights Concerning Adoption

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shapiro, Joseph P., Gregory Stephen. “Kids with Gay Parents.” U.S News and World Report. 121.11

    Read More

  • 1990s Gay Culture

    1246 Words  | 3 Pages

    Green, Robert-Jay. ""Lesbians, Gay Men, and Their Parents": A Critique of LaSala and the Prevailing Clinical "Wisdom"" Family Process 39.2 (2000): 257-66. Print.

    Read More

  • Discrimination Against Gay Adoption

    2163 Words  | 5 Pages

    Whether a created family is from previous heterosexual relationships, artificial insemination, or adoption, it deserves the same legal rights heterosexual families enjoy. Full adoption rights needs to be legalized in all states to provide a stable family life for children because sexual orientation does not determine parenting skills, children placed with homosexual parents have better well-being than those in foster care, and there are thousands of children waiting for good homes. The argument sexual orientation interferes with ones parenting skills is common belief that Charlotte J. Patterson identifies as myth in her work, Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children, suggesting the belief that “lesbians’ and gay men’s relationships with sexual partners leave little time for ongoing parent–child interactions.” In the Who is Mommy tonight? case study, how 18 lesbian adoptive parents, 49 lesbian parents who formed their families biologically, and 44 heterosexual adoptive parents experience and perceive their parenting role, how they respond when their children seek them or their partner for particular nurturing, and how the parents negotiate the cultural expectation of a primary caregiver (Ciano-Boyce & Shelley-Sireci, 2002) is looked at.

    Read More

  • Transgender Identity Essay

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    When two people are in love and plan on having a family, they look to the future and look at all the wonderful events to come. Yet, they do not think of any negative outcome that may lie in the future. No one likes to think that something different or unexpected can happen to his or her family, but rather image and focus on the great future that is yet to come. However, It seems that people are encountering more conflict with their gender identity and not only the individual but the families as well. This paper will point out how having a child who is gender confused suffers as much as the parents. It is hypothesized that parents who have a transgender child have a hard time accepting the child for who they are because of the negativity that

    Read More

  • The Homosexual Family System In The Kids Are All Right

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the movie “The Kids Are All Right”, the homosexual family system of Nic and Jules Allgood is being challenged by the transitions of their children- Joni and Laser, and the sudden life involvement of the children’s biological father- Paul Hatfield. In class, we define family as a social unit in which the adult partners and the children share economic, social, and emotional rights and responsibilities as well as a sense of commitment or identification with each other. Although the Allgood family is not related biologically, they are a family legally and emotionally. The family is an interdependent system with mutual shaping and causality, and within the family system, there are multiple subsystems: parent-child system, martial system, and sibling system, etc. When there is a transition happening in a family member, the whole family system will also be affected.

    Read More

  • Sexual Revolution

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... if? The legal consequences of marriage and the legal needs of lesbian and gay male couples. Michigan Law review. Nov.1996. Pg. 447-491. http://www.jstor.org.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/stable/1290119?seq=1&uid=3739664&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21103079482127

    Read More

  • The Challenges of Lesbian and Gay Youth

    2611 Words  | 6 Pages

    Despite the transition, little consideration has been given to understanding the growing population of gay adolescents. 25% of American families are likely to have a gay child (Hidalgo 24); In the United States, three million adolescents are estimated to be homosexual. Yet, American society still ignores gay adolescents. Majority of children are raised in heterosexual families, taught in heterosexual establishments, and put in heterosexual peer groups. Gay adolescents often feel forced by parents to pass as “heterosexually normal” (Herdt 2). As a result, homosexual teens hide their sexual orientation and feelings, especially from their parents. Limited research conducted on gay young adults on disclosure to parents generally suggests that disclosure is a time of familial crisis and emotional distress. Very few researchers argue that disclosure to parents results in happiness, bringing parents and children closer (Ben-Ari 90).

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Same Sex Parents

    2365 Words  | 5 Pages

    There indicators of child developmental outcomes were categorized into parent and child relationship quality, children’s cognitive development, children’s gender role behavior, children’s gender identity, children’s sexual preference, and children’s social and emotional development. There analysis showed that children with same-sex parents fared equally to children raised by heterosexual parents when comparing developmental outcomes. Same-sex parents also reported a significantly better relationship with their children than heterosexual parents, which was measured by the parent or child perception of the quality of their relationship. This goes back to the argument that parent sexuality has no impact on the child but rather the relationship between the parent and the child has is the most impactful. In Crowl, Ahn and Baker (2008) meta-analysis study also found that the parent sexual orientation had no effect on gender identity, cognitive development, psychological adjustment, and sexual

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Same Sex Marriage

    884 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marriage naturally creates families; it provides the conditions for a healthy environment that is beneficial to the upbringing of children. Opponents of same-sex marriage often ground their arguments on parental and religious concerns. Many argue that sa...

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Same Sex Marriage

    711 Words  | 2 Pages

    Adopting children in that environment would lack both mother and father figure in their life. For example, “Children without a father figure would have higher risks of early sexual activity and teen pregnancy; however, children without a mother figure deprive emotional security and unique advice that mothers provide (Pro Con).” The question is raised, should adopted children be reared and educated into a lifestyle that isn’t natural before they are old enough to understand the discrepancies? Young children that grow up in same-sex marriage environment may experience confusion and embarrassment in public surroundings; likewise, young adults and teenagers who have family members or who are personally members of the LGBT community may experience embarrassment and unusual social pressure. Children in a stable family with both mother and father figure would provide the best environment for them to mature and be responsible. Some same-sex family dynamics are from previous heterosexual marriages; therefore, this could affect the relationship between children and the immediate family members. Being part of the LGBT community could influence immediate and extended family on whether they accept or reject their relationship to the

    Read More

More about LGBTQ Parenting

Open Document