1 / 15

By Lynn Markert

Signature Assignment: The Development of Children of Same Sex Parents: Differences or Disadvantages?. By Lynn Markert. Developmental Issue:. Do children raised by same sex couples have: negative impacts and/or disadvantages in development ?. Significance:.

dwight
Download Presentation

By Lynn Markert

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Signature Assignment:The Development of Children of Same Sex Parents: Differences or Disadvantages? By Lynn Markert

  2. Developmental Issue: • Do children raised by same sex couples have: • negative impacts and/or • disadvantages in development?

  3. Significance: • “This issue has important implications for theories of socialization…and for law and social policy.” (Wainright & Patterson 2006, p. 526). • “[I]t remains important for research…to attend to the broad spectrum of psychological and social concerns…experienced by adolescents.” (Rivers et al. 2008, p. 128). • “[I]ssues facing families with same-sex parents are relevant to education, policy-making, clinical work, and…social development.” (Rimalower & Caty 2009, p. 17). Rimalower, L. & Caty, C. (2009). The mamas and the papas: the invisible diversity of families with same-sex parents in the United States. Sex Education, 9, 17-32. Rivers, I., Poteat, P.V. & Noret, N. (2008). Victimization, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning Among Children of Same-Sex and Oppostie-Sex Couples in the United Kingdom. Developmental Psychology, 44, 127-134. Wainright, J. & Patterson, C. (2006). Delinquency, Victimization, and Substance Use Among Adolescents With Female Same-Sex Parents. Journal of Family Psychology, 20, 526-530.

  4. Findings: • “[T]here are no significant differences that would detrimentally impair the development of children raised in families with same-sex parents compared with those raised in traditional family models.” (Rimalower & Caty 2009, p. 29). Rimalower, L. & Caty, C. (2009). The mamas and the papas: the invisible diversity of families with same-sex parents in the United States. Sex Education, 9, 17-32.

  5. Findings: • “[C]hildren of same-sex couples share many similar psychological and social experiences and challenges during [adolescence] when compared with peers raised by opposite-sex couples or those in the general population.” (Rivers et al. 2008, p. 132). Rivers, I., Poteat, P.V. & Noret, N. (2008). Victimization, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning Among Children of Same-Sex and Oppostie-Sex Couples in the United Kingdom. Developmental Psychology, 44, 127-134.

  6. Findings: • “[C]hildren’swell-being is affected much more by their relationship with their parents, their parents’ sense of competence and security, and the presence of social and economic support for the family than by the gender or sexual orientation of their parents.” (Barlow 2013). Barlow, R. (2013). Gay Parents As Good As Straight Ones: MED prof’s findings comes as Supreme Court weighs same-sex marriage. Retrieved from http://www.bu.edu/today/2013/gay-parents-as-good-as-straight-ones/

  7. Findings: • “Regardless of family type, children are more strongly affected by the quality of their relationship with their parents than by their parents’ sexual interactions, the family structure, or the household status.” (Berger 2010 p. 284). • “[I]n any family structure, some children develop well and others do not….Function, not structure, is the key aspect of a family’s influence on a child.” (Berger 2010 p. 286). Berger, K. (2010). Invitation to the Life Span. New York: Worth Publishers.

  8. Conclusions: • Do children raised by same sex couples have negative impacts and/or disadvantages in development?

  9. Conclusions: • There are no statistically significant differences, positive or negative,in the development of children raised by same sex parents. • Relevant disadvantages in development may be more attributable to legal, economic, social, and cultural inequities than parental sexual orientation. • The quality of parent-child relationships is more significant for healthy development than whether parents are same or opposite sex couples.

  10. Why I Chose This Topic: • I chose this topic because I am a gay adult who has been in a long term relationship with my partner for 14 years and I wanted to know that if we decide to adopt or to have children that those kids would be okay. That they would not be disadvantaged by our orientation. I also wanted some facts at my disposal for the times I run into homophobic and heterosexist people!

  11. Significance • “Eight to ten million children were being raised in households headed by gay parents [in 2000].” (Rimalower & Caty 2009, pp. 17-18). • There was a 51.8% increase in those identifying as same sex partners from 2000-2010. • “[S]tatistics suggest that a growing number of gays and lesbians are pursuing their right to be parents….[which] means an increased presence in these families.” (Rimalower & Caty 2009, p. 18). Rimalower, L. & Caty, C. (2009). The mamas and the papas: the invisible diversity of families with same-sex parents in the United States. Sex Education, 9, 17-32. United State Census Bureau. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-14.pdf

  12. Significance • Just under half of the 10 year old respondents with a lesbian parent responded on a national survey that they had experienced homophobia firsthand. (Rivers et al. 2008, p. 128) • Whether or not they identify as gay themselves, these children may be subject to the same intentional or unintentional discrimination associated with their parents’ gay minority status. (Rimalower and Caty 2009, p. 19) Rivers, I., Poteat, P.V. & Noret, N. (2008). Victimization, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning Among Children of Same-Sex and Oppostie-Sex Couples in the United Kingdom. Developmental Psychology, 44, 127-134. Rimalower, L. & Caty, C. (2009). The mamas and the papas: the invisible diversity of families with same-sex parents in the United States. Sex Education, 9, 17-32.

  13. Where More Research is Needed: • There needs to be more research on: • The effects of inadequate awareness about unique issues relating to the children of gay parents • The social consequences of “difference,” such as: • Heteronormativity • Nontraditional families • What are the consequences for kids who have to “come out” as children of gay parents?

  14. Where More Research is Needed: • Based on the research, there needs to be More Education for: • Teachers, coaches, administrators, and others who may influence the children of gay parents • Policy-makers who make significant decisions that affect the lives of these families • Peer groups of the children who come from gay families

  15. Sources: Barlow, R. (2013). Gay Parents As Good As Straight Ones: MED prof’s findings comes as Supreme Court weighs same-sex marriage. Retrieved from http://www.bu.edu/today/2013/gay-parents-as-good-as-straight-ones/ Berger, K. (2010). Invitation to the Life Span. New York: Worth Publishers. Rimalower, L. & Caty, C. (2009). The mamas and the papas: the invisible diversity of families with same-sex parents in the United States. Sex Education, 9, 17-32. Rivers, I., Poteat, P.V. & Noret, N. (2008). Victimization, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning Among Children of Same-Sex and Oppostie-Sex Couples in the United Kingdom. Developmental Psychology, 44, 127-134. United State Census Bureau. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-14.pdf Wainright, J. & Patterson, C. (2006). Delinquency, Victimization, and Substance Use Among Adolescents With Female Same-Sex Parents. Journal of Family Psychology, 20, 526-530.

More Related