Gay Parenting

Paper Summary:

The paper describes how homosexual-parent families are very much a part of society. The writer argues that there are many misconceptions about these families, but through examining professional literature and looking at the facts, those misconceptions are debunked. The writer proposes that gay and lesbian parents are no different from heterosexual parents in their commitment and ability to raise healthy, well-adjusted children. The writer concludes that accepting the presence of gay and lesbian parents and providing them with the rights and support they need will be a big step towards improving the well-being of these parents and the children that they raise.

From the Paper:

"The American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association does not recognize homosexuality as a mental disorder, and urge all mental health professionals to counter "the stigma of mental illness that had long been associated with homosexual orientation" (American Psychological Association 2005). Likewise, it has not been shown that gays become bad parents due to a lack of parenting skills or a lack of time. Because gender roles are not clear-cut in homosexual relationships, gays and lesbians are actually able to divide household and family labor relatively evenly, and report higher levels of domestic satisfaction (Johnson and O'Connor 2002)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Psychological Association (2005). Lesbian and Gay Parenting. Retrieved November 18, 2006 from http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/lgparenting.pdf
• Anonymous (2006) "Adoption by same-sex couples". Wikipedia. Retrieved November 18, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoption_by_same-sex_couples
• Golombok, S. and Tasker, F. (1996). "Do parents influence the sexual orientation of their children? Findings from a longitudinal study of lesbian families." Developmental Psychology, 32, 3-11.
• Hausman, K. (2002). "Pediatricians Support Adoption By Gay Partners". Psychiatric News. 37:6 Retrieved November 18, 2006 from http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/37/6/4
• Johnson, S. M. and O'Connor, E. (2002). The gay baby boom: The psychology of gay parenthood. New York: New York University Press.

More papers on Gay Parenting:

• Argumentative Essay # 58892 : "Gays and Parenting Skills"
• Term Paper # 95027 : "Gay Parenting and Marriage"
• Analytical Essay # 10055 : "The Legal and Ethical Aspects of Gay Adoption"

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