Children of GayLesbian Parents

1
Children of Gay/Lesbian Parents
By Cristen Adams Lacy Pittelkow
Nick
2
Facts and Figures

• As of 1990, 6-14 million children in U.S. living
  w/ gay and lesbian parents
• No evidence shows psychologically or physical
  harm
• 10 of people w/ gay parents have the same chance
  of being gay as the rest of the general
  population
• Of all children who are being adopted 31 went to
  single women, 2 single men, 1 unmarried couples
• More open minded than straight parents

3
Facts and Figures

• Daughters have higher self-esteem , sons are
  more caring and less aggressive
• Teens w/ same sex parents are as well-adjusted as
  with straight parents
• School
• Romance
• Psychosocial well-being

4
Facts and Figures

• Most problems kids have are from challenges of
  divorce and homophobia in society rather than
  sexual orientation
• Sloan, Kathleen. Facts and Figures about kids
  with gay parents. http//www.colage.org/research
  /facts.html (13 June 2005).

5
Family Style

• Many have gt4 adults around a child
• Parents being pulled between partner and child
  as compete for attention.
• Same with heterosexual families
• Perfect family expected immediately

6
Family Style

• Few rituals to develop internal order and
  engender extra-familial support
• Child-centered
• Parents and child look inward to each other
• Invest strongly in continuation of family as a
  unit
• Witeczek, Paul. Children of GLBT Parents.
  http//www.psych-4schools.com/children_of_glbt_par
  ents.htm (13 June 2005).

7
Family Pride Coalition

• Parenting Status
• Myth Lesbians and gay men do not have children
• Fact American Bar Association estimates 6-10
  million daughters and sons of lesbians/gays
• Relationships
• Myth Gay men/women have unstable relationships
• Fact want committed, loving relationships.
  They can and do enjoy long stable and satisfying
  relationships
• Children
• Myth Children in contact with gays face
  increased risks of being sexually abused
• Fact 90 of all children sexual abuse cases
  involve a heterosexual male predator

8
Family Pride Coalition

• Parenting Ability
• Myth Gay men cannot be nurturing parents
• Fact Gay fathers tend to be more responsive to
  children's needs than non-gay fathers
• Role Models
• Myth Children raised by gay/lesbian couple will
  not have proper male and female role models
• Facts find role models in every environment
  involved in. Most gay parents make sure children
  have consistent, positive contact with teachers,
  mentors, coaches, grandparents, etc.
• Family Pride Coalition-Issues and News Myths
  and Facts. http//www.familypride.org/issues/myt
  hs.htm (13 June 2005).

9
What really Matters!!!

• Quality of Relationship
• Parents need to have a good relationship with
  their children. Positive relationships with
  teens show lower levels of depressive symptoms.
  If parents have bad relationships with their
  children then the childs well-being would also
  decrease.
• Pallarito, Karen. Teens with Same Sex Parents
  Well-Adjusted. http//healthday.yahoo.com/news/4
  5533 (13 June 2005).
• Communicate with the child to cope, thrive, and
  succeed
• Samis, Kym., Thompson, Dawn. Lesbian Parents
  and the Daycare Outing. http//www.cfc-efc.ca/
  ecebc/JouSamesS.htm (13 June 2005)

10
Children Well-Adjusted

• It is said that children with same sex parents
  are as well-adjusted as heterosexual parents.
• Teens with two moms were no more or less likely
  than heterosexual parent peers to be involved in
  romantic relationship or having sex during the
  past year
• High self-esteem
• Low levels of anxiety
• Good achievement in school

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Children Well-Adjusted

• Minor Difference
• Children of same-sex parents feel more connected
  at school
• Teachers more open to them
• People at school were fair and cared for them
• Possible chance in the finding
• Pallarito, Karen. Teens with Same Sex Parents
  Well-Adjusted. http//healthday.yahoo.com/news/4
  5533 (13 June 2005).

12
School Experiences

• Administration and staff have wide range of
  attitudes
• Coming out for the children of GLBT families
• Many fears for parents
• Loss of custody, housing, job
• Childs loss of playmates, teacher support, and
  harassment by peers
• Stress for children of new/unresolved problems
• Family structure and community status in early
  years lead to healthy development
• Witeczek, Paul. Children of GLBT Parents.
  http//www.psych-4schools.com/children_of_glbt_par
  ents.htm (13 June 2005).

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Why Address Gay Issues with Children

• Not only those who have gay/lesbian family
  members, or who grow up gay themselves are
  negatively affected by anti-gay prejudice in
  schools
• It is estimated that 6-11 percent of school
  children have gay or lesbian parent or sibling
• Parents may not feel it is appropriate to learn
  about gay sex. Schools do not teach about sex.
  Children can learn about gays and lesbians, lit
  they have written, families formed, and civil
  rights

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Why Address Gay Issues with Children

• Negative name calling begins in 1st grade, and
  very young children are already heard things
  about gay men and lesbians. They know these
  words are a way to put down a child even though
  they might not know exactly what the word means.
  
• Schools are addressing these issues rather than
  introducing in order to create a safe environment
  to ask questions, receive info and learn more
  about different types of people. This will help
  prevent prejudice, discrimination and violence

15
Why Address Gay Issues with Children

• Isnt it wrong to teach about homosexuality with
  regard to religion beliefs
• Parents would want their religion to be
  acknowledged and respected along with other
  peoples alike
• Wont talking about it encourage students to be
  gay
• Teaching about gay issues will not make anyone
  gay, but less likely to insult each other about
  being gay
• Its elementary Why Address Gay Issues with
  Children. http//www.womedia.org/ie_whyaddress.h
  tm (13 June 2005).