Effects on Children With Gay/Lesbian Parents

Healthy children are the product of healthy parents, right? Although most say, “yes,” we all know that there is a silent, yet known disclaimer regarding the parents that are raising these children. The disclaimer states that whatever is witness through out life that homosexual parents are not suitable people to be raising children. While keeping that in mind, what makes a healthy parent or better yet what makes a healthy child? I believe that in many eyes the definition of healthy differ from one family to the next. Identifying what is healthy within a family is much harder than pointing out what we as individuals view as negative or lack of a better word unhealthy.

Through out my research, children with homosexual parents do no worse and in some cases better with life developments in comparison with children with heterosexual parents. These data is so outstanding in nature that the researchers have begun studying the parents themselves, BEFORE they where actually parents, to distinguish if they are actually going to be “good” parents. A psychologist by the name of Paul Cameron who strongly opposes gay parenting states within the article, “Gay Parents Good for Children?” that homosexual parent do not do well because they have more partner changes, more drug abuse, and more history of missing work. All of these issues work together to make a homosexual parent less suitable. Ok, folks side let’s take a minute to discuss these points. A homosexual person having more partner changes than a heterosexual person? This is simply ludicrous, because I can do a survey on the Valdosta State campus and prove that the partner changes are somewhat equal between homosexual and heterosexuals. Regarding the issue of homosexuals having more drug abuse than heterosexuals, I am almost positive drugs do not discriminate and pick and chose their users. The more history of missing work is almost laughable. If anyone reading this has children think back to when you didn’t have children work was far less important then, am I right? It does not matter if you are gay or straight when you have no “real” responsibilities going to the beach with friends is way more fun than working at a job that you absolutely hate and do not necessarily need. His opinions are taken seriously though and was even published in a journal, but I can I point out that the Psychological Reports is a journal, in which authors have to be pay to be published in. Do I have to mention the Psychological Reports is the journal that Cameron was published in? I’m sure you picked that up.

The psychologist above viewed negative or unhealthy behavior as frequent partner changes, drug addiction, and job-hopping as characteristics of homosexual activity, and this results in lack of parental competence. I view this as negative and unhealthy behavior for most people that are young and inexperienced. Also, I believe many people will agree that being young and inexperienced does not exclude you from doing anything including being a parent. Live life, make mistakes, and gain respect, then if you so fancy have children. It’s the best and healthiest feeling the in world.

Effects on Children With Gay/Lesbian Parents

Effects on Children With Gay/Lesbian Parents:

What makes a family? Some may say, “a father, a mother, and any children that may result in their love and happiness,” but the meaning of the world family has changed dramatically over the years. Lately, this term family has escalated to a level that most are uncomfortable with. We see two women walking down the street holding hands, while watching their son run ahead of them, or two men playing in the park with a little girl they adopted. Are these groups of people any thing less than a family? Some may argue that these people are not families, well, not in the traditional sense. I have been with my partner for three and half years, and we have a 15-month-old son. We are more than a group of people. We are a family, and I will not be considered as anything less than that. My son is quite a character just as any child his age. He cries, laughs, and loves to hug. None of which, are negative effects of being raised by two mothers. But with all of our opinions pushed aside regarding if families are really families, let’s discuss they the effects upon children that live within same-sex parent homes.

National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) has some pretty interesting findings when a study was conducted around homes without a father. This study included homes with single heterosexual mothers, and homes with two lesbian mothers. One finding included that sons of lesbian mothers are more likely to be more nurturing and affectionate to their future families. Another observation during the study showed daughter whether with heterosexual mother or lesbian mother were more likely to have future occupations in areas that were traditionally non-female. A third finding told researchers that children raised by lesbians were more likely to consider a homosexual relationship. The information above is certainly not all the data collected, and not all nontraditional families should be limited to be these results.

There is another interesting article I found while looking into this issue. The article, “Children of Lesbians May Do Better Than Their Peers,” reassured me as a lesbian mother. Children of lesbian mothers seems to have no significant differences in social development and adjustments compared to children raised in heterosexual homes. However, even with the almost unnoticeable differences with children’s social development and adjustments the children have higher levels of self-esteem and confidence, and did better academically. This is an amazing find. We, as a society, have been told that homosexuality is bad, and will only affect the children of America in negative ways. This article proves that we, as homosexuals, are breaking barriers, and proving ourselves as parents and as families.

While doing research on this subject I cannot find much information regarding the effects on children that may have two fathers. What do you think that is? My opinion is that it is much harder to become a parent if you are two gay males trying to start a family. Adoption can be difficult and expensive, and finding someone to carry the child can be time consuming, again expensive, and emotional draining. What are your thoughts?

Gay People are NOT Monsters!

Many adoption agencies do not allow gay couples to adopt children and almost half the countries in the world feel that this policy is a good one. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_adoption confirms that adoption by same-sex couples is prohibited by a majority of countries.
Why can’t two people who want to love a child be able to parent them? Oh yeah, because being gay is morally wrong they will be teaching the children to do wrong as well. False! Heterosexual parents can teach a child wrong doings as well. Currently Florida specifically bans gays and lesbians from adopting. Claiming that gays and lesbians were child-molesters, Bryant was able to convince state senators to vote for a ban on gay adoptions (http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption_2.htm). Just because someone is gay, does not make them an evil monster. In fact, scientific studies have shown that children who grow up in one or two-parent gay or lesbian households fare just as well emotionally and socially as children whose parents are heterosexual. Studies have shown that children are more influenced by their interactions with their parents, than by their sexual orientation (http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption_2.htm).
Children that are waiting to be adopted do not care that the awaiting couple is gay. What they (the children) are looking for is simple, it is love. They are looking to be cared for and protected. There is no legal reason why gays and lesbians should be denied the right to adopt children. The law only hurts children waiting to be adopted and deprives loving parents who would care for these children (http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/families/a/adoption_2.htm).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_parenting#Same-sex_marriage explains that In January 2008, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that same-sex couples have the right to adopt a child. In all U.S. states except for Florida, unmarried LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) adults can petition to adopt a child. Granting the petition is left to the discretion of a judge.
So what do you think? Is it wrong for a gay couple to want to help a child, to want to teach the child what love is and give them a home, something in which they probably do not even remember what feels like? Or do you agree with me and few others on the fact that, gays are normal people and are not aliens, and should be treated accordingly?

Being Gay is Okay!!!!

Same sex marriage is a very controversial topic. People should be able to have the freedom to whatever it is they want to do. Even though it is morally wrong, The United Sates prides itself on giving people to freedom to do whatver they want as along as it isn't hindering society. Compared to how gay relations were in the past, it is more widely accepted now than it ever was in the past. Twenty years ago, you couldn't be seen with the same sex romantically involved. Those who were strong belivers of it faced many consequences. Some were black-balled from getting jobs, they couldn't eat in public places, and some were even killed by radical opposers.

I grew up in a religious household, so at first my views on homosexual marriage was very judgmental, but as I grew older that perception started to change. Homosexuals are not creatures, they are human beings, they do everything that a noraml everyday American does. One thing to remember is that God made everybody different, so people may not have the same ideals as everybody else, and it would be wrong of us to judge them for doing so. In the article Four Reasons to Support Gay Marriage and Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment by Tom Head, he uses statistics to show that the support for gay marriage is steadily increasing each year. Society may actaully be warming up to the idea of gay marriage. As time has progressed, the radical opposers against gay marriage has passed and the disdain for it has substained.

If you fall in love with someone, no matter their race, religion, or gender, you should be able to spend the rest of your life with that person without any kind of ridiculing, or possibly fearing of your life. Most people reason for their disdain for gay marriage is the interpretation of the Bible. It is true that God made man and woman but you can't tell people what to do with their life. It also mentions to never judge anyone, and as a society we need to do better with that.

Same Sex Marrige

Same sex marriage is slowly approaching the states. It is already allowed in California so the question is which states are next? In 2003 the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that gay marriages were unconstitutional. The Senate of Massachusetts asked to propose that would bar same- sex couples from civil marriage. In May 2008 California's Supreme court ruled that homosexual couples should have the right to marry.

People should be able to marry whoever they want to when ever they want as long as it makes them happy. Why are people getting mad? It is not like they are getting mad. So what is all the commotion about? Every person is equal in his or her own way and have a certain preference. If many cannot agree then there should be a vote. Homosexual couples should have the same rights that everybody has seeing how we all go by the same laws. The first amendment states that a person's religion must be protected. Religion is the main reason all this commotion of gay marriage is going on. If people choose to be homosexual then others need to respect their decision and let them live their lives. If a person knows that they want to support same-sex couples let them do it. Some people that are fighting against it are just following other people and do not even know why they are fighting. Everyone deserves to be happy and if the person they are with is making them happy then they should be together. The only thing that really matters in a marriage is love.

Should gay couples have the right to marry?

Marriage is a sacred event held between two people that are in love. So why should it matter what sex the individuals are in order for them to have to right to get married? Today's society has changed greatly compared to fifty years ago. Tattoos, peircings, clothing, woman in job fields, hair styles and more have all been on a path of being more accepted than they were in earlier generations. Gay marriage is still a heated issue though. Yes, gay marriage was not even an option to consider back in the day, but why is society still at a stand still when it comes to this issue? Most peoples arguments against gay marriage is a result from their religion. In an article by Steve Waldman entitled "A Common Missed Conception" a poll based on gay marriage is discussed and showed that "the opposition to gay marriage and homosexuality is highest among the most religious."

Growing up in an environment where religion was not a part of my everyday life or forced upon me(not saying that it is forced upon everyone), I was able to explore my environment of people around me with an open mind while also gaining an appreciation for others and their lifestyles without judgement. I have learned that not everyone is going to be brought up the same way, with the same views or even have the same morals. This is why I am a firm believer in the legalization of gay marriage.

To me it does not matter if you are black or white, gay or straight, or from two different countries with two different marriage arrangements, if you develop feelings towards someone, you should have every right be married and share your everyday lifestyle with that person, without restrictions. People are not defected if they are gay. They just have a different preference towards whom they are attracted to. It may not even be the physical appearance of a person that attracts them to that person. If someone is attracted to the person's personality, and have an immediate connection towards them, why are they punished when it comes to being able to share their lives with one another?

When couples get married, they receive marriage benefits. They can share a home, shared health insurance, receive sick leave to car for their partner, joint adoption, have tax benefits and many more advantages than just two couples that are "together". With gay marriage not being legal, gay couples are not entitled to these benefits and cannot receive them any other way. This is a discrimination matter. Everyone is suppose to be treated as an equal. Yes, gay couples are different than straight couples, but what makes them "not-normal"? They are no different from you and I. Being gay is not a handicap, they are not stupid or "freaks" or have the inability to take care of themselves, others, run a business, or be a CEO, they still have the ability to make everyday conscious choices, vote for who they believe in, and make mistakes(such as getting a speeding ticket) like everyone . They just happen to have a different lifestyle than others, and that is it.

At one point, it was inter-racial marriage that was illegal and looked at as if the people were insane, or stupid. Society (or a more larger selection of people) has come to terms with inter-racial marriage and has accepted it. How different is that from gay marriage? Whether it is two people from different races or two people of the same sex, it is the same thing. People want to be treated as an equal.

If we as a society can just let go of judgement towards others and their lifestyles and become more accepting towards one another, we become able enough to overcome more obstacles as a whole. Being able to make decisions based on everyone's different lifestyles without exclusions and being able to coexist within a society forms a better relationship within a society and calls for an easier, stress-free living environment when it is known that everyone is and equal, and is treated as one.