Hey everyone, welcome to What The Stuff. Today we’re going to talk about families – they’re
one of the most important things a person has. In recent years, we’ve heard numerous
people, organizations and even courts debating things like same-sex marriage and same-sex
parenting. And – unfortunately – there are also a lot of myths surrounding these
topics. So let’s bust a few, shall we? Here are five of the biggest:
There’s no real scientific support that same-sex parenting is “bad.” Sure, you
might hear opponents of the published research claim it's tainted with ‘liberal bias.’
But research conducted on LGBT parents and their kids has been _overwhelmingly_ positive.
A host of respected organizations have issued statements giving gay parenting their stamp
of approval. And not just some fringe outfits! We’re talking the American Medical Association,
the American Psychological Association, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy,
and more. The list goes on.
Take a 2002 policy statement released by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It reiterated
that, based on scientific literature, "children who grow up with one or two gay and/or lesbian
parents fare as well in emotional, cognitive, social and sexual functioning as do children
whose parents are heterosexual."
In heterosexual household contexts, studies have linked the absence of dads to higher rates of delinquency,
drug abuse and lower educational attainment. But New York University sociologist Judith
Stacey’s meta analysis of 33 studies found that parental gender had little bearing on
kids' well-being. The most influential variables were, instead, resources and childcare commitment.
Those hold even greater sway than the number of parents in a home. In other words, two
invested parents are the best case scenario, but even one involved parent is better than
a detached couple -- no matter their sexual orientation.
Even if LGBT couples create an enriching home environment, what happens to the kids when
they venture from the roost? By one 2010 estimate, 41% of 10-year-old children with gay parents
encountered bullying or isolation. But this doesn’t mean they're at greater risk of
becoming depressed or forming fewer friendships. The University of California at San Francisco
researchers who collected that bullying data went back and checked in with the same adolescents
seven years later …and found no lasting psychological damage from any parent-related
persecution.
Additionally, 25 years' worth of studies consistently debunk theories that psychological and social
pitfalls are in store for children of lesbian and gay parents. Outcomes of anxiety, depression,
substance abuse and socialization aren't markedly different for kids raised in gay- or lesbian-headed
households. Repeated analyses have found that parents' sexual orientation isn't a factor.
In other words, kids can -- and do -- grow up with good heads on their shoulders regardless
of their parents' sexual orientation.
One of the most common anxieties regarding LGBT parenting is that the children will,
inevitably, become gay. As if that would actually be a problem!
University of Virginia psychologist Charlotte J. Patterson points
out that such anxiety is unfounded, since non-heterosexual orientation was long ago
eliminated as a disorder or illness. And, regardless, statistics indicate that children
don't necessarily inherit the identical gender and sexual identities of their parents.
In fact, research on children raised by lesbian couples has found that most of the kids ultimately
identify as heterosexual in adulthood. For instance, in one 1989 study of adolescents
raised by lesbians and heterosexual parents, the only participant to identify as homosexual
belonged to a hetero-headed household.
Are same-sex couples identical to straight couples when it comes to raising kids and
running a house? Nope. And that isn't a bad thing.
As Judith Stacey points out, differences don't equate deficiencies in this case. Research
has highlighted some unique hallmarks of lesbian parenting, including more equal division of
chores and childcare and greater parent-child emotional openness.
Of course, just as not all heterosexual couples make identical decisions, neither do LGBT
parents. But the data clearly shows that kids raised by gay and lesbian parents grow into
successful, well-adjusted young adults, parents of all stripes can take away an important
lesson: There is more than one road to raising a happy, healthy child.
Thanks so much for watching! What do you think the most important thing about parenting is?
Let me in the comments, and hey, if you liked this video, come visit me over at Stuff Mom
Never Told You. We bust myths over there as well.