The debate on whether children raised by gay parents suffer disadvantages as compared to those raised by a married mother and father is common. The research comparing children raised by heterosexual couples and those raised by homosexual couples has been inconclusive. The homosexual population raising children is so small compared to the one that does not. That is a hindrance in obtaining a representative sample. The advocates of homosexual parenting claim that there are no differences that would suggest any disadvantages between children raised by either parent dynamic i.e. heterosexual or homosexual parents. Other people believe that there is a difference between the two parenting setups which I believe have disadvantages on the children (Sprigg, 2014).
An article on GD topics (2014) explains that one of the drawbacks for children in homosexual parenting is the unnatural upbringing. The traditional nuclear family is an ideal that should be clung to. Children should get raised with maternal and paternal influences. Nature and evolution have shown that the development of children is a consequence of these influences. The norm of nature is that a child is brought up by a father and a mother hence children raised by gay parents end up having an unnatural upbringing.
Children raised by gay parents may also have a distorted view on minority sexuality. For instance, a girl having gay parents would not benefit from a feminine influence. The female role in a child’s upbringing is to provide stability, safety, and comfort. Children who have their biological mother in their lives are nurtured right from when there are in their mother’s womb. Those that have a woman in their lives even though not their mother usually receive the warmth and comfort that gives the child security they need to develop (Julia, 2014).
Children raised by gay parents when in their early years are usually too young to have an opinion regarding homosexuality. Such children are exposed to prejudice especially from their peers or the society in general. The homophobic language and behavior is still prevalent in a large number of societies. The children having gay parents may get exposed to prejudice and may also become a subject of violence or ridicule (GD Topics, 2014).
According to an article by the Scottish government Social Research (2009), evidence suggests that the problems experienced by children of gay parents is as a result of other people’s negative views about gay people. An analysis by Fairtlough indicates that nearly half of the young people raised by gay parents had heard homophobic comments or experienced homophobic comments from other children in school or other parents. Some of the children have suffered serious physical abuse and harassment from their peers. In some cases, the abuse is verbal such as being called a ‘fag.’ Most of these children do not report the bullying to their parents in an attempt to protect their parents from prejudice. Such abuse has an effect on the development of children and their social behaviors (p.12).
The article by the Scottish Government social research also explains the children perception on gay parenting. A study by Fairtlough indicates that children with gay parents have also experienced homophobic behaviors within their family. For example, a gay parent may get attacked by the heterosexual parents. The behaviors include rejection, unpleasant comments or the use of religion as a weapon. Some children cannot make a clear separation between their parents’ behavior and their sexuality. Such children usually suffer the most from other peoples’ homophobic comments and harassment. However, a small percentage of the children can know that their parents’ sexuality does not determine their ability of being a good or bad parent (p.9).
Children raised by gay parents also suffer from the law especially in countries where homosexuality is illegal. Their families may be denied basic government aid and safety net programs for children simply because their family does not meet the legal definition of a family in their country’s constitution. Although endorsing the nuclear family as the recommended option by law, the children of gay parents tend to get penalized in the process. An article by Kendra (2011), explains that current laws in most countries deny children of gay parents access to quality child care and early childhood education. These children also face disadvantages since they cannot access social security survivor benefits or inheritance when their parents die.
References
GD Topics. (2014). Should Adoption of Children by Same Sex Couples be Allowed? Retrieved from http://www.mbaofficial.com/gd-topics/should-adoption-of-children-by-same-sex-couples-be-allowed/
Julia, B. (2014). Influence of a Female Figure on Child Development. Demand Media. Retrieved from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/influence-female-figure-child-development-1478.html#
Kendra. (2011, October 27). Children of Gay Parents Face Disadvantages, Say LGBT Groups. Retrieved from http://itsconceivablenow.com/2011/10/27/children-gay-parents-face-disadvantages-lgbt-groups/
Sprigg, P. (2014). New Study on Homosexual Parents Tops all Previous Research. Family Research Council. Retrieved from http://www.frc.org/issuebrief/new-study-on-homosexual-parents-tops-all-previous-research
The Scottish Government. (2009). The experiences of Children With Lesbian and Gay Parents- An Initial Scoping Review of Evidence. Social Research. Retrieved from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/269718/0080303.pdf
