Lesbian Couples are the best parents study? Reaaly?
 |
| Lesbian Family (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
A close examination of the references at the conclusion of the article appear to show an ideological favor toward gay parenting. Pro-gay scholars seek evidence of non-harm, of children.
The AIFS author states it is not possible to sustain a claim frequently made, that there are no differences between children raised in same-sex and heterosexual parented families (Amato, 2012; Biblarz & Savci, 2010; Biblarz & Stacey, 2010; Eggebeen, 2012; Goldberg, 2010; Marks, 2012; Regnerus, 2012; Stacey & Biblarz, 2001). All of these studies atate there are difference.
Biblarz and Stacey argue it is the anti-gay culture to blame for difference.
"There is suggestive evidence and good reason to believe that contemporary children and young adults with lesbian or gay parents do differ in modest and interesting ways from children with heterosexual parents. Most of these differences, however, are not causal, but are indirect effects of parental gender or selection effects associated with heterosexist social conditions under which lesbigay-parent families currently live.
It is no wonder they blame culture as they state themselves: The inescapably ideological and emotional nature of this subject makes it incumbent on scholars to acknowledge the personal convictions they bring to the discussion. Because we personally oppose discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender, we subject research claims by those sympathetic to our stance to a heightened degree of critical scrutiny and afford the fullest possible consideration to work by scholars opposed to parenting by lesbians and gay men.
The author of this AIFC study says there is now strong evidence that same-sex parented families constitute supportive environments in which to raise children... children's and young adults' greater tolerance of sexual and gender diversity; and gender flexibility displayed by children, particularly sons.
But Daniel Potter (2012) disagrees with the AIFS study:
Children in traditional families (i.e., married, 2 biological parents) tend to do better than their peers in nontraditional families. The results indicated that children in same-sex parent families scored lower than their peers in married, 2-biological parent households, but the difference was nonsignificant net of family transitions.
Also Allen, Pakuluk, and Price (2013) also disagree
We reexamine Rosenfeld's (2010) study on the association between child outcomes and same-sex family structure. Using the same data set, we replicate and generalize Rosenfeld's findings and show that the implications of his study are different when using either alternative comparison groups or alternative sample restrictions. Compared with traditional married households, we find that children being raised by same-sex couples are 35 % less likely to make normal progress through school.
Allen (2013), and taken together they cast doubt on the ubiquitous claim that no difference exists in child outcomes for children raised by same-sex parents compared to married opposite sex parents. That is, both the US census and Canada census show that children living with same-sex parents perform poorer in school when compared to children from married opposite sex families.
What is this "strong evidence" claim made by this study for the AIFS? What arguments support the claim that lesbian mothers are the best parents?
Biblarz and Stacey (2010) commented that the benefits regarding parenting quality that children of lesbian parents appear to experience could well be due to the "double dose" of "feminine" parenting. The author then expresses another opinion: "It is also possible that same-sex parents are especially attentive to the quality of their parenting as a way of counteracting the ill effects of prejudice and discrimination their children may experience."
The 2006 Canada census—though not perfect—is able to address most of these issues, and the results on high school graduation rates suggest that children living in both gay and lesbian households struggle compared to children from opposite sex married households. In general, it appears that these children are only about 65 % as likely to graduate from high school compared to the control group—a difference that holds whether conditioned on controls or not.
When the households are broken down by child gender it appears that daughters are struggling more than sons, and that daughters of gay parents have strikingly low graduation rates. The findings of Allen (2013), and taken together they cast doubt on the ubiquitous claim that no difference exists in child outcomes for children raised by same-sex parents compared to married opposite sex parents. That is, both the US census and Canada census show that children living with same-sex parents perform poorer in school when compared to children from married opposite sex families.
Now look at the bias against the largest study ever done:
The AIFS study author says: "With regard to the one large study thus far (Regnerus) that has detected harms to children raised in same-sex parented families, the fact that the analysis does not take into account the children's experience of their parents' separation and divorce is a serious methodological flaw.
Paul Amato says the LGBT have a tendency to dismiss anything they disagree with including the fact that same sex marriage tend to be unstable and this affects children.
When the Regnerus study was published, criticism from the political left was swift and harsh. Unfortunately, some commentary devolved into ad hominem attacks, accusations of fraud, and name-calling. Rather than intellectually engage the findings, the goal of some critics was to thoroughly discredit the study—and the author. While they were at it, many critics also attacked the editor, the reviewers, the consultants, those who wrote commentaries—even the survey research firm that collected the data! Anyone with any form of contact with the study became an enemy of the people.
This is unfortunate, because the political left could have benefitted from a strategic appropriation of the findings. The study involved a national sample of young adults with an LGBT parent. As the study noted, few of these young adults spent long periods of time in households with two parents of the same sex. Instead, most were born into heterosexual families that later broke up, presumably when one parent came out as gay or lesbian. Many of these youth went on to experience a variety of other family structures before reaching adulthood. One out of seven spent time in foster care. Previous research shows that instability in the family of origin increases the risk of a variety of long-term social and psychological problems for offspring. Consistent with this research, young adults in the study had modestly elevated problem profiles.
Many observers have argued that the Regnerus study should never have been published. It is important, however, to focus on what the study actually showed, and not on what people claim that it showed or wanted it to show. The study showed that family instability is not good for children, and many children with gay and lesbian parents, experienced a lot of family instability.
Since the Regnerus study was published, studies by Potter (2012) and Allen, Pakuluk, and Price (2013) have shown associations between having same-sex parents and child problems.
Like the Regnerus paper, both of these articles survived the peer review process and, in fact, were published in top-tier social science journals. Rather than try to discredit these studies (and any future studies that may show similar results), it is better to examine the findings carefully and figure out what is going on. In fact, both studies are entirely consistent with the family stability perspective described earlier.
BUT WHEN YOU IGNORE THE HARM RESULT AND ONLY SUPPORT THE NO-HARM RESEARCH THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS:
The AIFS author concludes by saying:
Law- and policy-makers in Australia have already made use of the considerable research evidence that demonstrates children in planned lesbian parent families do as well psychologically and sometimes better than children in heterosexual parented families. For example, findings from earlier reviews of this body of literature were taken into account in recommending extending the eligibility criteria for access to clinical donor insemination to lesbian couples in the State of Victoria, in addition to amending the Status of Children Act to make children's parentage clearer in cases where lesbian couples use donor insemination to conceive (see Victorian Law Reform Commission, 2007). A remaining area of state and territory based legal inequity involves access to adoption rights for same-sex couples.See the problem!
