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.