1. LGBT Families Research Issues And Important Questions

2. Prior Heterosexual Relationship • Adoption • Foster Parenting • Biologic Parenting • “The Old-Fashioned Way” • Donor Insemination • Ovum Donation • Surrogacy Big Issues Framing Our Interest Lesbian and Gay Parenting Options

3. Small Sample Sizes • Snowball Sampling Is Common • Comparison Groups • Generalizability Of Findings • Data Is Defensive Or “Deficit” Related Big Issues Framing Our Interest Data Issues

4. Parents Are Mentally Ill • Lesbians Are Less Maternal • Lesbian/Gay Parents Will Molest Children • Non-Attentive Parenting • Children Suffer From Lack Of Paternal/Maternal Influences “The common law designates homosexuality as an inherent evil, and if a person openly engages in such a practice, that fact alone would render him or her an unfit parent. Homosexual conduct is, and has been, considered abhorrent, immoral, detestable, a crime against nature, and a violation of the laws of nature and of nature’s God.” (Judge Roy Moore, AL supreme court chief justice) Big Issues Framing Our Interest Beliefs About Lesbian and Gay Parents

5. Lesbians Are “Normal” • Self esteem and psychological adjustment • Attitudes toward child-rearing, responses to child behavior • Kids Have More Contact With Biological Fathers Than Kids Of Divorce • Gay and Heterosexual Dads Both Nurturance and Invest Time In Kids • There Are Higher Levels Of “Synchronicity” In Parenting • Parent-Child Interactions • No differences between lesbian biological mothers and either hetero biological or step- mothers • Lesbian step-mothers score higher than either biological or step- fathers Gay and Lesbian Parents

6. They’ll Have Problems With Gender Identity • They Won’t Have “Appropriate” Gender Role Behavior • They Will “Turn” Gay or Lesbian • They’ll Have Difficult Peer Relationships Big Issues Framing Our Interest Beliefs About Children Of Lesbian And Gay Parents

7. Gender Identity • More than 500 kids in studies • None of them have gender identity confusion • Gender Roles • Overall, no significant gender role differences between the two. • No self-reported differences in mothers encouraging sex-role traits or behaviors in kids • Boys: rate selves as conventionally masculine and higher on “awareness of others’ feelings” and “gentleness” • Girls: rate selves as conventionally feminine and higher on “adventuresomeness” and “likes to be a leader” Kids Of Gay and Lesbian Parents

8. Sexual Orientation • No studies have reported significantly high rates of homosexual orientation in kids • In one study, daughters more likely than sons to consider a same sex relationship and to have had a homoerotic relationship • Peer Relationships And Psychosocial Development • Adult children do report more teasing about their sexuality as kids • No differences in intelligence, type or prevalence of psychiatric disorders, self-esteem, well-being, peer relationships, couple relationships, or parental stress. Kids Of Gay and Lesbian Parents