Some of them are adopted. Some of them are conceived from in vitro fertilization with our gametes. And some are children from our previous, straight relationships.
A new ABCnews article discusses the two mommies/two daddies families. Interesting fact the first:
Of the 270,000 children living with same-sex parents, about 65,000 are adopted. Most, like other Americans, are in two-child families.
Fact the second:
Twenty percent of gay couples have children under 18.
Fact the third:
about 4% of all adoptive parents are gay couples
Fact the fourth: the kids are doing just fine.
Data collected as part of the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study have shown few differences in psychosexual development, psychological adjustment and overall well-being.
"Boys seem to do as well as girls," said Dr. Nanette Gartrell, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at University of California, San Francisco and principal investigator in the 23-year study.
"Most offspring of same-sex parents are heterosexual as adults," she told ABCNews.com. "By the time our study kids were 10 years old, they demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of diversity and tolerance, and an appreciation of the destructive effects of discrimination."
There's a group for kids with gay parents: COLAGE (Children Of Lesbians And Gays Everywhere)
4 comments:
I didn't realize the GL adoptive rate was so high! I have acquaintances (whom I hope develop into friends) who are lesbian. They have adopted the two most adorable brothers I've ever seen (both under five). The kids love their mothers and the kids are absolutely normal kids.
yes, James, and many GLBT couples adopt special-needs kids who are harder to place.
I wrote this post in response to a comment over at Thinking Anglicans from someone opposed to GLBT rights who glibly asserted that we don't have kids of our own (clearly we do), and that adoption is somehow to be avoided.
But we do have kids. And families, and real life. So their claim of "family values" attacks our families, our kids.
And in places like Florida they foster children often again special-needs children since they can't legally adopt. I'm not sure the figure included foster children.
I'm pretty sure it doesn't, erp. Thanks for stopping by!
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