I remember the time I was strolling downtown, when I came upon a heartwarming sight. A little toddler, chubby-cheeked and with a huge grin plastered over her face, cheerily waddled on the sidewalk, holding hands with her two adoring fathers. They were pleasant looking men, glancing down at their bundle of joy with the sweetest smiles, even humming a few melodies with their jovial tenor voices. She seemed so happy, giggling at their jaunty steps, as they detoured to a sweet shoppe for ice cream, where one of them scooped her up onto his back, as she squealed with delight.
I smiled, thinking to myself how lucky she was to possess such warm and kindly parents. It was only recently that it came to my attention of the predicament prospective LGBT couples face when it comes to starting a family.
Despite the fact that same-sex couples are raising 4% of all adopted children in the United States, and the total number of children raised by at least one gay/lesbian parent is between 6 to 14 million, a hefty number of people still cling on to the traditionalist mindset that a child needs a father and a mother in order to be reared "properly". Not only are such statements backward, they are not supported by factual evidence.
A new study published in the Developmental Psychology journal concluded that children with same-sex parents have the same chance of thriving as children with heterosexual parents. The study followed 100 families who had adopted infant children, half of them same-sex couples, and the other heterosexual ones.
The participants, demographically speaking, were well-matched in terms of income, employment, race, and education. Once the children reached school-age, their well-being was assessed using the child development questionnaire called the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) completed by the parents. In addition, the children's teachers were asked about their behaviors, in order to avoid potential parental bias. The data showed that the children of both the heterosexual and same-sex couples had no differences in behavior, proving that the sexual orientation of parents does not have a negative effect on their children.
Even such evidence fails to convince antagonists that same-sex parents should be allowed to adopt. One of the most commonly employed arguments illustrates the idea that having same-sex parents automatically "makes" the child gay or lesbian. Firstly, there is no empirical basis that links homosexuality with one's environment. Secondly, it has been shown numerous times that a child's sexual identity develops in the same manner, whether they grow up in a same-sex household or a heterosexual one. Besides, children are more influenced by their interactions with parents rather than the latter's sexual identities.
Although it may not be the most traditional way, same-sex adoption is still just as effective for raising a child as heterosexual adoption. All that matters is that the environment is nurturing, loving, and safe for a child to mature in, regardless of the sexual orientations of their parents. After all, every child deserves parents who care, and good parenting is not determined by who one romantically loves, but by their ability to love and cherish the child in their keeping.
Works Cited
Adoptions, Lifelong. “LGBT Adoption.” LifeLong Adoptions, www.lifelongadoptions.com/lgbt-adoption/lgbt-adoption-facts.
Compton, Rebecca. “Kids Can Thrive with Gay Parents.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 21 Nov. 2016, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/adopting-reason/201611/kids-can-thrive-gay-parents.