Homosexual Headed Households
Kristy Pressley
The debate over homosexuals as parents has been one of the great controversies over the last twenty years. At one time society did not recognize homosexuality and parenting as being synonymous with one another. However, with the advent of artificial insemination, gay/lesbians parents “coming out”, homosexuals winning custody cases, and adoptions as an alternative, the idea of homosexuals as parents have entered mainstream society. Homosexual couples raise children as well as heterosexual couples which is proven by the social/psychological aspects and the relationship between gay parents and their children. In the article Concerns and issues faced by families headed by a gay/lesbian couple, the focus is on issues affecting lesbian headed households, particularly the stigma related to being an unconventional family and the social/ psychological effects on childhood development (Hare, 27). Hare found that the children had not experienced any overt criticism as a result of having a lesbian parent (28). The concerns were felt by the lesbian parents were their own perception of societal disapproval. Fowler examined approaches the courts use in making decisions that involved homosexual parents (361). Fears involved in having a homosexual parent are: the child will develop inappropriate gender identity, acquire inappropriate sex role concepts and sex type behaviors, develop psychological or behavioral problems, and will develop a homosexual orientation (Fowler, 362). Psychoanalytic theorists argue that children need to be raised by heterosexual parents in order to develop appropriate sex roles (Fowler, 362). Where social learning theorist argue that modeling and reinforcement are paramount to developing healthy sex roles, and that homosexual parents are unable to model appropriate sex roles because of their same-sex orientation (Fowler, 364). Fowler argues that the courts are using speculation and assumption coupled with homophobia to rule on
The debate over homosexuals as parents has been one of the great controversies over the last twenty years. At one time society did not recognize homosexuality and parenting as being synonymous with one another. However, with the advent of artificial insemination, gay/lesbians parents “coming out”, homosexuals winning custody cases, and adoptions as an alternative, the idea of homosexuals as parents have entered mainstream society. Homosexual couples raise children as well as heterosexual couples which is proven by the social/psychological aspects and the relationship between gay parents and their children. In the article Concerns and issues faced by families headed by a gay/lesbian couple, the focus is on issues affecting lesbian headed households, particularly the stigma related to being an unconventional family and the social/ psychological effects on childhood development (Hare, 27). Hare found that the children had not experienced any overt criticism as a result of having a lesbian parent (28). The concerns were felt by the lesbian parents were their own perception of societal disapproval. Fowler examined approaches the courts use in making decisions that involved homosexual parents (361). Fears involved in having a homosexual parent are: the child will develop inappropriate gender identity, acquire inappropriate sex role concepts and sex type behaviors, develop psychological or behavioral problems, and will develop a homosexual orientation (Fowler, 362). Psychoanalytic theorists argue that children need to be raised by heterosexual parents in order to develop appropriate sex roles (Fowler, 362). Where social learning theorist argue that modeling and reinforcement are paramount to developing healthy sex roles, and that homosexual parents are unable to model appropriate sex roles because of their same-sex orientation (Fowler, 364). Fowler argues that the courts are using speculation and assumption coupled with homophobia to rule on
Cited: Cramer, David. “Homosexual Headed Households.” Journal of Counseling and Development 64 (1986):P.504-507.Web Review 33.3 (1995): 361-377. Hare, Jan. “Concerns and issues faced by families headed by a lesbian couple.” Families in Society 75 (1994): 27-35. Hequembourg, Amy. “Lesbian Motherhood: Negotiating Marginal- Mainstream Identities.” Gender and Society 13.4 (1999):540-547. Laird, Joan. “Family-centered Practice with Lesbian and Gay Families.” Families in Society 77.9 (1996):1-15. Radich, Carol A. “Growing up in a Lesbian Family” Effects on child Development and Sex Roles 37.5 (1997): 461-464