In 2013, the National Health Interview Survey estimated there to be almost 700,000 same-sex couples in the United States. About 19 percent of these couples or single gay/lesbian/bisexual individuals were raising children. For years, there has been heated debate about those children and their well-being. Does a child’s psychological adjustment depend more on the quality of family relationships or on the family structure? Essentially, are children better in homes with same-sex parents or different-sex parents is the question.
Why Aren’t Previous Studies Accepted?
In the 1980s, the “lesbian baby boom” happened when sperm banks allowed all women access to their services. Same-sex parent adoptions became legal, and the number of gay men who began to raise children increased. There have been numerous investigations and studies about children in these families. Researchers found that children who had been raised with female same-sex parents had comparable well-being as those raised in a heterosexual home. Why didn’t this answer the question? Because these studies relied on two things:
- Recruitment from fertility clinics
- Convenience samples (those individuals who are easy to reach)
Many people believe that this skewed the outcomes. The clinics could have only chosen those families who were not having any problems. Families who are struggling with children who are experiencing issues may not be conveniently reached. It is an issue in the science.
Other studies have looked at children from same-sex couples who were not continuously coupled, i.e. from divorce, adoption, foster care, or death. These studies compared the children in those families to children who had heterosexual parents in stable marriages. It’s almost like comparing softballs to marshmallows. Any child who has lost a parent or been forced to move will not be as well adjusted as a child who has been in a loving home with stability.
A New Study That Should Answer the Question
Researchers analyzed data from the 2011–2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. They compared families with identical characteristics in these categories:
- Age of parents
- Parent’s education level
- Parents born in the United States
- Urban or rural residence
- Child’s age, race, and gender
- Where the child was born (United States or international)
The only difference between the two groups was whether the parents were a same-sex or heterosexual couple. Ninety-five (95) participants were chosen for each group. According to one scientist, it’s the first study in which apples to apples were compared.
The study, which was recently published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, found that the children of same-sex couples were just as well adjusted emotionally and healthy physically as the counterparts who had heterosexual parents. One problem with the study is that only lesbian households were able to be studied. There simply weren’t enough male same-sex households to get an accurate picture.
More Studies to Come
This study certainly goes a long way toward providing support for same-sex households. Scientists still want to continue to look at different factors that affect children as they grow up. This study should be repeated with data from another year. One of the key factors in the scientific method is whether the same results are achieved by other researchers. In order for this study to really stick, other scientists will have to redo it. It’s not a lack of trust, just science.
Hopefully, science will catch up with basic knowledge. That is, that kids just need people around them who will provide love, support, and care. Children want stable families. They don’t care who their parents love. The culture is shifting towards acceptance. Even though many politicians are trying to prevent same-sex adoptions and foster care, there are more people who are working toward equality. This study should go a long way in giving kids good homes.