Many lesbians and gay men are parents; others
wish to be parents.
In the 2000 U.S. Census, 33%
of female same-sex couple households and 22% of
male same-sex couple households reported at least
one child under the age of 18 living in the home.
Although comparable data are not available, many
single lesbians and gay men are also parents, and
many same-sex couples are part-time parents to
children whose primary residence is elsewhere.
As the social visibility and legal status of lesbian
and gay parents have increased, some people have
raised concerns about the well-being of children in
these families. Most of these questions are based on
negative stereotypes about lesbians and gay men.
The majority of research on this topic asks whether
children raised by lesbian and gay parents are at a
disadvantage when compared to children raised by
heterosexual parents. The most common questions
and answers
to them are these:
Do children of lesbian and gay
parents have more problems with
sexual identity than do children of
heterosexual parents? For instance, do these
children develop problems in gender identity and/or
in gender role behavior? The answer from research
is clear: sexual and gender identities (including
gender identity, gender-role behavior, and sexual
orientation) develop in much the same way among
children of lesbian mothers as they do among
children of heterosexual parents. Few studies are
available regarding children of gay fathers.
Do children raised by lesbian or
gay parents have problems in
personal development in areas
other than sexual identity? For example,
are the children of lesbian or gay parents more
vulnerable to mental breakdown, do they have more
behavior problems, or are they less psychologically
healthy than other children? Again, studies of
personality, self-concept, and behavior problems
show few differences between children of lesbian
mothers and children of heterosexual parents.
Few studies are available regarding children of
gay fathers.
Are children of lesbian and gay
parents likely to have problems
with social relationships? For
example, will they be teased or otherwise mistreated
by their peers? Once more, evidence indicates that
children of lesbian and gay parents have normal
social relationships with their peers and adults. The
picture that emerges from this research shows that
children of gay and lesbian parents enjoy a social
life that is typical of their age group in terms of
involvement with peers, parents, family members,
and friends.
Are these children more likely
to be sexually abused by a
parent or by a parent’s friends or
acquaintances? There is no scientific support
for fears about children of lesbian or gay parents
being sexually abused by their parents or their
parents’ gay, lesbian, or bisexual friends
or acquaintances.
In summary, social science has shown that the
concerns often raised about children of lesbian and
gay parents—concerns that are generally grounded
in prejudice against and stereotypes about gay
people—are unfounded. Overall, the research
indicates that the children of lesbian and gay
parents do not differ markedly from the children
of heterosexual parents in their
development,
adjustment, or overall well-being
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