This article appeared on page C - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle
A psychologist took aim at one of the central justifications for California's ban on same-sex marriage in federal court Friday, saying researchers overwhelmingly agree that gays and lesbians make just as good parents as heterosexuals.More than 100 studies have found that "children who are raised by gay and lesbian parents are just as likely to be well-adjusted," Michael Lamb, chairman of the department of social and developmental psychology at Cambridge University in England, testified at the San Francisco trial of a lawsuit seeking to overturn Proposition 8.
Lamb quoted the American Psychological Association's 2004 policy statement that gays and lesbians are "as likely as heterosexual parents to provide supportive and healthy environments for their children." Seven other nationwide professional organizations have taken similar positions, he said.
Prop. 8, a November 2008 initiative, amended the state Constitution to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The measure overturned a May 2008 state Supreme Court ruling that allowed gays and lesbians to marry.
The lawsuit by two same-sex couples and the city of San Francisco contends Prop. 8 discriminated unconstitutionally on the basis of sexual orientation and gender and had no justification except prejudice. The nonjury trial, the first in any federal court on same-sex marriage, began Monday before Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker.
Protect Marriage, the religious coalition that sponsored Prop. 8, argues that the measure was intended to promote traditional marriage because children are better off with their biological parents.
A document on the Protect Marriage Web site, quoted in court, said studies have found that same-sex parents are prone to "gender confusion" and are more likely than heterosexual parents to abuse their children and to raise daughters who become lesbians.
There is no evidence for those assertions, said Lamb, a child development researcher for almost 40 years and former head of a section of the U.S. government's National Institutes of Health.
"No research shows that kids need to be protected from gays or lesbians," he said, and studies also contradict the claim that children are better off with their genetic parents than with adoptive parents.
The only established differences, Lamb said, are that children of same-sex parents are more likely to be bullied by their peers and are less likely to have stereotyped attitudes about gender. For example, he said, they're less prone to thinking that girls should aspire to become nurses while boys should become doctors.
In cross-examination, Protect Marriage lawyer David Thompson labeled Lamb a "committed liberal," citing his membership in such organizations as the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Organization for Women, and his financial contributions to the Public Broadcasting System.
Thompson also said scientific research is not immune from political influence and that "history is littered with scientific theories universally accepted and proven to be wrong."
He said other studies called Lamb's conclusions into question - for example, research showing that children do better with biological parents than with stepparents.
Lamb said such findings wouldn't shake his view that sexual orientation makes no difference in parenting.
**We know the Proclamation teaches that children have the RIGHT to be reared by a Father and a Mother, and that both mothers and fathers bring unique qualities, specializations, and characteristics to parenting**
As one who has read many primary and secondary sources on this topic, I can say that the assertions of the psychologist are true: well-designed empirical research has shown no difference in outcomes in children who are raised by gay or lesbian parents. Their gender identity, sexual orientation, and a number of other constructs appear to develop similarly to children of heterosexual parents. What we do with that information is our choice, based on our values and beliefs, but the reality is that there is no difference.
ReplyDeleteKids with two gay parents have different family dynamics of course, but don't do worse psychologically or socially.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nyu.edu/public.affairs/releases/detail/2952
and the journal article in reference: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/123248173/HTMLSTART
The journal article also says that kids with two parents of the same-sex do better than kids with a single parent.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI hope that the information from this study will be taken into account when a homosexual couple starts the adoption process. There are far too many children in the U.S. who are not being adopted. With the overwhelming number of children within the foster care system, the government cannot ensure the proper development of every child. If there is an opportunity for a child to be removed and placed into a stable, loving environment whether the parents are homosexual or heterosexual it should be done. In the long run, the child would most likely be better off being raised by a homosexual couple than the foster care system.
ReplyDeleteI agree that children might be better off with a homosexual couple rather than on the street or in foster care, but I still believe that two heterosexual parents is the best situation for bringing up children despite the research. Sometimes research can be biased as the social scientist wants to prove something. For example,a study shows that children are just fine with homosexual parents,yet the researcher might leave out important findings that contradict. It can be very problematic trusting only in scientific research. I strongly believe in the Proclamation on the Family and although there's much that I don't understand, I know that God does and is the best source to receive answers from.
ReplyDeleteI like how the Proclamation teaches that both fathers and mothers bring unique qualities, specializations, and characteristics into parenting. God has ordained family as an essential part of the Plan of Salvation and he has given us guidelines of what the definition of a family is through the Proclamation. God doesn't make mistakes. However, I also see the point others have made above about the benefits of allowing adoption by homosexuals. Many foster children in the United States need homes and every effort should be made to provide them with the benefits of a stable environment and a functioning family unit. If a homosexual couple is willing to provide it, should they be denied simply because of their sexual orientation? I have no clear answer.
ReplyDeleteWe have to remember that what the Church teaches is the "ideal" society...
ReplyDeleteSometimes, actually, quite often, we cannot achieve the "ideal" in this lifetime.
So, the task is to figure out how to live in the "real," and yet still strive for the "ideal."
I think this may be one of those cases, while it is not "ideal" to have a single parent, or homosexual parents raise children, it is still a "real" possibility that this situation can provide a much better life for a child, and give them more opportunities for a happy life.
We do not need to say that this is the "ideal" situation, but we can also be supporting of those who want to help better a childs life, and understand that we do live in an imperfect, "real" world.
I actually watched the 30 Days episode to this and my observations confirmed that homosexual parents to a great job at parenting. That's not the problem, though. The problem is what the kids are going to think when they learn about the birds and the bees. Are they going to be confused? Angry? Will they think it's okay to do what their dads are doing?
ReplyDeleteThough I believe the Proclamation to the Family to be true, I don't think it is appropriate to bring that into this debate. While we may believe that the ideals in the Proclamation are true and good, it is not our place to impose those views on others. Not everyone shares our same religious views; we shouldn't use our religious views as reasoning for why others should or should not be able to do something. Just as we wouldn't want people of other religions imposing their religious view on us, we shouldn't do it on others. Say for instance, there was a religious group who believed heterosexuals shouldn't be able to adopt, even though research showed that heterosexuals could raise children just as well as homosexuals. Would we think that was fair? Probably not. I think it's important to remember that we can have our own morals and opinions, but that we do not have the right to make decisions for other people- especially when there is research proposing that both groups can raise children equally well.
ReplyDeleteAs far as being confused about the birds and the bees, what child isn't? And will they think it's okay? Probably so. But is that such a bad thing? That their children will be openminded and less judgmental? I don't think so.
Homosexual couples have the same amount of love to give children as heterosexual couples. But the issue is not about the parents, but is how the children will be raised. The big question that will affect how you will respond to homosexual couples raising children is whether or not you consider homosexuality ethically and morally acceptable. Those that are more able to see homosexuality as acceptable will think that having children raised in that kind of home is okay. Putting children in this circumstance is not only making this type of behavior acceptable, but it confuses children with what is wrong and right. When they children are put in their new home with two dads they are immediately different and will have a much different life because of the choice of his/her parents. In my town there was a family that had two lesbian mothers and four children. These children had a hard time in school and in fitting in. I am not saying that it was right, but other children couldn't find a common ground with someone that was brought up in such a different way. When there were sleep overs, no parents allowed their kids to spend the night at the home of the lesbian parents.
ReplyDeleteObviously, being religious, I don't think that homosexuals should raise any children. I think a lot of the problems in our society stem from parenting. So many parents don't give children the love, support, and healthy attention that they need. Although a homosexual couple may give their children all the love in the world, teaching children that this is acceptable, is not the right thing to do. Children follow the examples of their parents and learn so many things from watching them. Children also benefit from seeing a healthy relationship between a mother and father and learning important things from both of them. A child that only sees the actions of a father, and another father....will have a distorted image of marriage and life in general.
@Haylie:
ReplyDelete"Obviously, being religious, I don't think that homosexuals should raise any children."
I am a homosexual and I am raising children, and doing a fine job at it, I'd say. But I know that's not your point.
Couples in America do all sorts of things you don't agree with. Smoke, drink, shop on Sunday, have extramarital affairs, etc. Some even "teach children that this is acceptable." Should they be denied the opportunity to raise children?
Not everyone, including many within the LDS church, can follow the ideal of having a mother and a father. People get divorced, people have children out of wed-lock; the alternatives to the ideal family unit are numerous. Would you remove all the millions of children from these "non-traditional" homes?
"A child that only sees the actions of a father and another father will have a distorted image of marriage and life in general."
This assumption has several flaws. What about children raised in single parent homes? Divorced parents? A grandmother stepping in to help her daughter raise a child? Two older brothers helping raise their sibling? Will children have a "distorted image of marriage and life in general" just because they don't have a mother and a father? Sorry, but the logic doesn't seem to hold.
Furthermore, the research just doesn't support your conclusion. Studies show that children who are raised by homosexual couples can and do have normal, healthy and usually heterosexual relationships later on.
I believe in marriage between a man and woman; that's why I'm married. I believe it's ordained of God as the best way to bring children into this world. But you have to understand that there are different ways of looking at the world besides through the lens of ideal mother/father family relationships. Other family models can and do work.
A person doesn't have to change their views on the morality of homosexual couples living together to recognize that homosexuals can raise children just as well as anybody else.
Homosexual parents can provide just as good of a home as heterosexual parents and here's why
ReplyDelete1. Usually both have a steady income and a comfortable place of living.
2. The child will grow up more tolerant of other's views and differences.
3. Homosexuality/heterosexuality is not a choice. It is a biological/sexual instinct. Most homosexuals grow up with heterosexual parents and yet, are still prone to homosexual tendencies.
4. My uncle is gay, and I honestly believe that he and his partner would make loving and caring parents--better than some heterosexual parents.