Gay Parenting Essays (Examples)

The result of Osman's study, however, was that the acting out was not as a result of any difficulty associated with being raised by a lesbian couple. Rather, the idea was raised by a savvy child simply looking to avoid punishment.

Other studies have accepted that any sexual conflict between homosexual parents expressed through certain attitudes or behavior towards a child is no different than the behaviors and attitudes directed towards a child due to sexual conflicts of heterosexual parents.

Conclusion: Many comprehensive studies have been conducted to study the overall effects of parenting by a gay couple for a child. Most of the studies agree that common stereotypes about children of gay parents are not supported by the data.

ibliography

Osman, S. (1972). My stepfather is a she. Family Process, 11, 209-218.

ailey, J.M., obrow, D.,Wolfe, M., & Mikach, S. (1995). Sexual orientation of adult sons of gay fathers.…

Everyone of the 12 teenagers studied by Epstein (2005) stated using choosiness about when they revealed news concerning their mothers' lesbian characteristics. Zanghellini (2007) discovered that 29% of his teeenage respondents had never met anyone else that lived a homosexual or had a bisexual parent, signifying that the option of loneliness is extremely genuine for teenagers. Possibly unconstructive results of any such separation have not, however, been exposed in examination to date (Epstein, . (2005), P. 30-23). People believed that children would benefit from encouragement groups entailing of other children of gay or lesbian parents, and teen agers questioned by psychologist concurred, but regular assessments of such groups have not been given further details. It is obvious, however, that current research does not give any basis for thinking that children's better interests are offered by family disagreement or confidentiality concerning a parent's sexual identity, or by conditions that a gay…

Homosexual Parents on Children

Conversations around the appropriateness of homosexual parents adopting, having or even raising children pose the argument of the effects on the children. However, research of the effects is rare, as well as limited in the direct topic. To follow is a review of key pieces of literature discussing the concepts of diverse family environments and the effects the environments.

Evidence supports the knowledge that children do not learn how to be homosexual by interacting and upbringing by homosexual parents. In fact, more research leads to the belief that children of homosexual families have a broader understanding of sexuality and awareness, and most information points to a heterosexual environment in the learning process (Gabb, 2004). Suggesting that learning environments need more diversity, yet there is the stigmatic thought that "social codes of decency" (Gabb, 2004) are "universal truths and normality's" (Gabb, 2004) of what would be deemed…

Gay Couples and Child Adoption

Adoption by couples of the same sex has recently been legalized in almost 14 countries, however it has been remained illegal in most of countries as debate spins on in several countries as to whether it should be legalized or not. The concern of the opposing side is whether gay couples are able to adequately provide parenthood.

According to a consensus which was arrived at by psychological, medical as well as social communities, children who have been raised by gay parents are also able to adjust well just like children who are raised by heterosexual parents. This conclusion has also been highly accepted within the developmental psychology field, (Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth & K. Lee Lerner, 2006). As derived from the available evidence in the field, the Florida's Third Court of Appeal in 2010 was satisfied that this issue was far beyond dispute that it will…

Homosexual Marriage and the Impacts on Parenting

Homosexual marriage refers to legal matrimony between two individuals of the same gender and it is a phenomenon which has come under a great deal of scrutiny and debate during the last few years. As of the time of this writing nine states have legalized gay marriage, and 31 states have constitutional amendments which ban gay marriage to some extent -- a fact alone which showcases this nation's level of homophobia and a reluctance to deliver fundamental rights, like the right to pursue happiness. However, the topic of this paper is to examine the impacts of gay marriage on parenting and the kids that grow up having two moms or two dads. Even the most conservative, right-winged, and religiously literal people will admit, that if there's one thing that this nation needs; for example, the following conservative remarked: "Many studies show that single…

Gay Donor or Gay Dad?

Challenges Faced by Same-Sex Parented Families

The prototypical U.S. family has historically been defined as a heterosexual arrangement that divided responsibilities by gender (Farrell, VandeVusse, and Ocobock 284). Men were responsible for earning enough money to keep the family economically viable, while women were responsible primarily for childrearing and household chores.

In the decades since II, the prevalence of the traditional U.S. family has decreased as nontraditional arrangements have increased (Farrell, VandeVusse, and Ocobock 284). omen now make up almost 50% of the workforce, in part because a single wage earner is often insufficient to meet the economic needs of many families. The pervasive use of contraception has increased the age at which marriage and pregnancy occurs, and cohabitation, single parents, and same-sex parents are becoming more common.

Based on the 2010 U.S. Census data, heterosexual married parents represent 67.4% of all U.S. families, while…

Moral issues should not come to play. Individuals who are against the adoptions do not care about equality or that research does not support their fears. Nor do these individuals care that the American Academy of Pediatrics, among an entire list of other human services and medical organizations for the betterment of children and families has taken a stand that adoption by gay parents and gay parenting in general does not offer real or significant emotional dangers to children. ather, the emotional danger comes when parents -- be they heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual -- abuse their children.

It is how children are raised that is of concern, not who raises them, argues the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. "Children of gay, lesbian and bisexual and transgender parents are similar to children with heterosexual parents with respect to their emotional and personal development. it's the quality of the parent-child…

Of this group. 50% were male, 50% were female, 38% were White, 35% were Black, and 16% were Hispanic. Adoption statistics are difficult to find because reporting is not as complete as it should be. The government spent $2.6 billion dollars to conduct the 1990 Census, but still it under-represented minorities and categorized children as "natural or by adoption" without differentiating, while special laws were implemented to "protect" and separate adoption affected families. In 1995, a "continuous" census (instead of every ten years) was proposed but has not been implemented. Even the government cannot rely on its most often cited broad official "guesstimate" of "5 to 10 million adoptees in the U.S." Private agency or independent adoptions account for more than 80% of adoptions in a state like California, but these are difficult to track, particularly when they cross state and country borders. In addition, no one knows how many…

"

Such decisions are made by the courts based on personal values, not empirical data. In 1999, the American Psychologist published one of the first research studies on the topic of adoptive parenting. "Deconstructing the Essential Father" (Silverstein & Auerbach, 1999) concluded that successful parenting is not gender specific and children do not need fathers or mothers. ather, any gender configuration of adults could parent equally well. The implication that fathers were not necessary was extremely controversial.

Since then, numerous studies, such as one conducted last year by yan of the University of Texas School of Social Work, and Averett and Nalavany of East Carolina University (2009), show that there is no difference in emotional problems experienced by the children who are adopted by heterosexual and gay or lesbian parents. In order to determine their findings, the study's authors used survey results from parents who adopted children through Florida's public…

When a child has already been abandoned by his or her biological parents, why would the state not allow for that child to have a brighter future in the care of a couple who would truly care for him or her? In this view, gender plays a miniscule role in the overall well being of the child. ather, "The best interests of the child would certainly be advanced in situations lie those presented here by allowing two adults who actually function as a child's parents to become the child's legal parents," (Committee on Sex and Law and Committee on Civil ights 2004:72). With the concept of legality in terms of a parent-child relationship comes support like no foster parent or orphanage could ever offer. Adoption policies are strict and require parents to meet specific requirements, therefore offering the child the most potential possible. Gay and lesbian couples are no exception…

Homosexual marriage does not pose a threat to me or my manhood therefore I am for it." Although I am heterosexual, I know what it means to long for union with another human being. I will choose a woman for my partner, but if another man desires to choose one of his own sex, there is no harm for me in his choice. In fact, since we are both part of humanity, his legal union, as does mine, brings positive reinforcement to the institution of marriage.

As early as 400 BC Plato in his Symposium discussed the mystery of sexual desire, concluding that humans are always searching for their other half, having been cut in two as punishment by Zeus. The whole humans that existed before this action, according to Aristophanes, Plato's debating companion, all had two heads, four legs and four arms. They were of three types: some with…

Homosexual Parenting

Literature Review on homosexual parenting

For a period extending back to the last twenty years, the number of households headed by same-sex parents in the United States has subtly increased. According to a unanimous agreement in the U.S. In 2010, the number of same-sex couples who stay together was estimated to be 646,464, out of which 514,735 were unmarried couples of the same sex while 131,729 were married couples of similar sex. In another survey carried out in the U.S. In 2000, it was established that almost 163,879 households had children although they were headed by similar sex couples. With about 33% of households belonging to similar sex females, it was found out that bisexual or Lesbians had higher chances of being parents as compared to isexual or gays who accounted for just 22% although these male couples had at least a child below the age of 18…

Gay Marriage

Same sex marriage has been a topic of much debate in recent years. Many believe that same sex marriage should not be allowed, while others assert that homosexuals should have the right to be legally married. The purpose of this discussion is to investigate the historical context, political impact, sociological impact and the psychological and philosophical perspectives of this issue.

Gay Marriage in a historical context

According to Coolidge et al. (2003) marriage provides a legal gateway to many protections and benefits in American society. In fact many of these protections and benefits do not exist outside of becoming legally married (Mcwhirter 2004). These include access to health care and medical decision making for your partner and your children; parenting and immigration rights; inheritance, taxation, Social Security, and other government benefits (Mcwhirter 2004). It is because of these protections and benefits that same sex marriage has become such…

Indeed, the lack of "recognition and protection" by schools in general contributes to the "critically high level of suicide" among this community of minority students (146).

Surely alert, competent, contemporarily up-to-date school counselors understand that they have the "daunting but imperative obligation to become social activists for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students" since these students are the most "stigmatized members of school environs," Stone continues. There is no doubt that certain legal and ethical issues come in the way of school counselors' being free to help LGBT adolescents with their difficult decisions.

It is a "complex landscape" for counselors indeed, and they need to use caution in discussing birth control, abortion, drug abuse and more with straight and gay / lesbian students; moreover, since parents have the ultimate authority when it comes to counseling their children on important matters (the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that fact in several cases),…

"ith such a Biblical event casting its shadow over the theological landscape, how could "gay" advocates sidestep the obvious implication that God considered homosexuality a despicable sin?" (Vitagliano, 2003)

In the eyes of the Church then, homosexuality is an unnatural and sinful behavior simply because it disobeys the heterosexual human relations, as they were initially intended by the Divinity. "It is a sin grievous to God and repulsive to Christians because it rejects God's design for mankind as heterosexual beings" (ildmon, 2007). And its currently increasing acceptance in the contemporaneous community is only based on the desire to be perceived as modern and open-minded, when we should in fact be focusing on how to convince the gays to renounce their habits.

The risks of accepting and allowing gay rights revolve around the emergence of future negative effects. It is like opening Pandora's Box, from which numerous problems will come out,…

Further arguments that gay marriages do not contribute to the greater good are debatable, based largely on faith-based belief rather than empirical research.

In the 1930s, sociologist Edwin Schur wrote extensively about the idea of victimless crimes. For Schur, victimless crimes involve an exchange of commodities or services that are socially-disapproved. These exchanges are voluntary and do not cause anyone harm (Schur, 3).

Schur himself cited consensual homosexual unions as an example of victimless crimes. Schur writes that society has enacted laws against such deviant behavior based not on any harm these crimes cause, but because these crimes violate prevailing standards of socially acceptable behavior. These standards, however, are fluid and subject to change. Given this, Schur argues that laws against homosexuality, for example, penalize people who should not be labeled as criminals in the first place. Their actions meet the criteria of non-coercion and no harm. Therefore, no one…

However, in the United States, the Establishment Clause has created a wall between church and state, and the morality of church policies cannot impact the laws of the land. hile people are free to believe that being gay is immoral or unnatural, their religious beliefs cannot and should not hamper the rights and the liberties of others, including the right to the pursuit of happiness of gay couples who regard their love as natural and good.

Another objection raised to gay adoption that is frequently cited is the idea that children will experience negative psychological consequences because they will be teased at school. But these objections could also be raised against the ability of biracial couples to wed and to have children, or simply the children of any religious or minority group who suffers persecution. The problem is not the teasing of other students, but the prejudices of society. Such…

Children aised by Same-Sex Parents have more Problems than Children aised by Different-Sex or Single Parents

As more and more states legalize same-sex marriages, there is growing concerning among many proponents and critics alike about the effect that these civil unions will have on children. Although many children of same-sex unions are from previous heterosexual unions, adoption is also being used by growing numbers of same-sex partners and new reproductive technologies are providing lesbian couples with the ability to "father" their own children and surrogate mothers are available to gay couples if they have the financial resources. Given the increasing numbers of children who are being raised in same-sex parent households, these are legitimate issues that require further examination to determine if popular thought that children raised by same-sex parents have more problems than children raised by different sex or even single parents. To this end, this paper provides a…

Opponent to Gay Marriage offer Illusory Arguments

The book The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us by Chabris and Simons truly makes a strong case for how six different types of illusions (or beliefs) truly disserve the human population. The six common illusions that the book discusses are the illusion of memory, the illusion of confidence, the illusion of knowledge, the illusion of cause and the illusion of potential. Chabris and Simon argue that one can see these illusions at work in a range of human interactions and current events. Sometimes these illusions demonstrate the fallibility of the human mind; sometimes they just demonstrate the need of human beings to impose meaning or order upon things or events which lack both.

A current issue that demonstrates several of the six illusions that Chabris and Simons discuss is the debate over gay marriage. Those who oppose gay marriage often demonstrate…

44). On a final note, Decamps' reporting of the NLHCS indicates that "more than half" of the 1,925 lesbians in the survey reported having been victim of a "hate crime" and roughly one in twenty of the 1,925 lesbians had been "physically assaulted" due to her sexual orientation (Decamps, p. 49).

Consequences of child sexual abuse for adult lesbians. Batya Hyman is a professor of social science at Salisbury University in Maryland; she also has published an article that investigates the ramifications of childhood sexual abuse on lesbians as they get up in years. Hyman goes somewhat deeper into the issue than Decamps had gone, noting that there are several health concerns in adult lesbian women who had experienced abuse as children. Among health concerns: pelvic pain; gynecological problems; migraine headaches; asthma; epileptic seizures; digestive system problems; and an "increased lifetime risk of surgery" (Hyman, 2000, p. 200).

The author…

Even a Democrat, President Clinton signed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage to be a "legal union between one man and one woman." (Nwazota, 2003)

Currently many conservative political leaders from the Republican Party have aligned themselves President Bush's position on a formal amendment defining marriage in solely heterosexual terms. Several religious institutions, most recently the Catholic Church, have formally renounced the idea of same-sex marriage, referring to religious texts that define marriage as solely the union of a man and woman. But advocates of gay marriage counter that religious doctrine should not influence the creation of law, pointing to the Constitution's ban on an established religion, often referred to as separation of church and state. (Nwazota, 2005) to many Americans, marriage remains a cultural and religious institution and not just a legal debate, but their moral centers affect the way they see the law and the…

society has accepted the presence of gays and lesbians, still beneath that facade, lies intense prejudice and discrimination. Society has refused to grant them even some most basic rights such as adoption and foster-parenting. Florida and two other states have imposed strict ban on adoption by same-sex parents, assuming that, children in unconventional family settings often lack emotional and psychological stability. But several studies in this connection have contradicted such notions and have clearly indicated that children of homosexual parents are no different from children of heterosexual couples.

GAY AND LESBIAN PAENTING

The Courts in the United States have tried repeatedly to provide children with a family setting which is recognized by American Family Law. Even the societal changes, which are currently taking place in family structures, the society itself and the legal system of our country have failed to see beyond the myths and misconceptions associated with alternative family…

traumatizing for a parent to find out his children are homosexual or for a child to find out his parents are homosexual? The answer to this question is never easy, but is increasingly important as homosexuals assert their rights to come out of the closet and to raise families more and more. Karen Peterson's article, "Looking Straight at Gay Parents" assesses varying aspects of the latter situation. Michael LaSala's article, "What to do When Your Child Says "I'm Gay!" explores significant ramifications of the former situation. A comparison between these articles indicates that it is more difficult for children to grow up with homosexual parents than for parents to find out their children are gay.

(Describe subject 1) The effects of parents finding out that their children are homosexual can actually help some parents. Once parents get over the initial surprise, this information can help them to become attuned to…

Like many other positions that have been presented in opposition to gay marriages, this argument is also largely defective. In the past, several studies have clearly demonstrated that children of heterosexual couples are no different from children raised in a same-sex marriage setting. In one such study, "no differences were found between children raised by heterosexual or same-sex parents in the following four areas: Cognitive development, psychological adjustment, gender identity, or sexual preference partners" (Fiona 36). For this reason therefore, same-sex couples can also "bear" children via adoption and proceed to raise them in a familial environment that is no different from that of a heterosexual couple. As ardle, Strasser, Duncan, and Coolidge note, in some ways, i.e. when it comes to appreciating the diverse world in which we live in, children of same-sex parents could be better off than those from heterosexual households (37).

Conclusion

Approximately 4 decades ago,…

homosexual practices might have begun in the early centuries, the word "sodomy" was first used by a Catholic missionary, now a saint, Father Peter Damien around 1050. y sodomy, he meant masturbation and anal intercourse between men, a sin he condemned as the most perverse of sexual sins in his long letter to the Pope, entitled "the ook of Gomorrah." He emphasized that God designed sex exclusively for procreation and that the enjoyment of the sexual act outside this divine purpose was unnatural and therefore summarily grievously and wickedly sinful.

The unnaturalness of sodomy remained more or less the same through the centuries, till the 1700s when the so-called modern homosexual subcultures made themselves visible in London, Paris and Amsterdam. The rest soon perceived them as "sodomites (who were merely) ... constitutionally different from other men" (Wikholm 1999) and effeminate woman-haters who refused to have sex with women. Things were…

Gay Marriages

ame sex marriages' has been a ubiquitous argument for critics, activists, and political commentators for quite some time now. While some critics choose to reflect on the religious and ethical stance of gay and lesbian marriages, Andrew Sullivan chooses to explore the political reasoning behind the prohibition of same sex marriages. The excerpt chosen for critiquing belongs to Sullivan's book Virtually Normal: An Argument about Homosexuality (1995), which highlights the author's personal opinion about gay's and lesbian's right to marriage, political opinions on same sex marriages, and the differences between liberal and conservative party's modes of thoughts and actions regarding same sex marriages.

Introduction of the Author

Andrew Sullivan, himself being of homosexual orientation and married, with HIV positive status, is a devout catholic and a 'conservative' political commentator. Andrew Michael Sullivan rapidly rose to popularity in the first half of the 21st century based on few of…

Roper, from noticing that Jack had brought home a dog, because pets were not allowed in the building. Although this episode didn't revolve around the sexual tension in the house specifically, I couldn't help noticing the scanty outfits of the blonde Chrissy, and how unrealistically skimpy they seemed, for just lounging around the house on an ordinary day to be spent with one's friends. Janet, the other woman, was clearly supposed to be 'the smart brunette,' and seemed like the less desirable of the two women because the camera (and Jack's wandering eyes) spent very little time focused on the other woman. Although the show was supposed to be revolutionary, the message was clear -- you could be dumb and blonde, or oridinary looking and smart if you were a woman. These two qualities couldn't mix.

The plot, of 'no dogs allowed' seemed very conventional and unimaginative to me, and…

sexual orientation and proclivity, the times are definitely changing. Once, tolerance was something that people simply talked about and did not actually have to practice. Today, tolerance is something that people need to simply keep pace with a number of developments that have impacted various members of the gay, lesbian, and transgender community. Gay pride has become more and more common; there are specific time periods dedicated to this sort of pride. Personally, I have mixed feelings about these developments. There are some scientific and sociological aspects of this phenomenon that seem unsettling, although there are also some noteworthy advancements related to tolerance for which this movement deserves commendation.

One of the most notable aspects of the changes that have affected the lesbian, gay and transgender community pertains to the military. Once, homosexuals were not allowed in the military. It was not uncommon for those who did infiltrate the ranks…

Homosexual Interview

The subject of this interview is a twenty-nine-year-old homosexual male of African-American descent, originally from Miami, Florida. He has been employed as a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer since his 1997 graduation from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he majored in Kinesthesiology and Movement Science

and minored in Broadcast Communications.

The subject seemed ideal for this interview because he is openly homosexual himself, but acutely irritated by the common homosexual "affect" that he characterizes as a learned or emulated set of effeminate mannerisms and speech patterns that many people have come to associate with (or even expect from) male homosexuals. The subject has repeatedly expressed his disgust with homosexuals whom he describes as "flames" or even "faggots," because as a comfortably assimilated homosexual male, he believes that he (and all homosexual males) suffer from stereotyping and the homophobia that he believes it inspires. Specifically, the subject…

Homosexual Relationships Prohibited

In recent years a tide of change has swept across America. Gay marriage has been the focal point of many court battles and legislations. As a result, public opinions has shifted majorly towards a more lenient and accepting view of same-sex relationships. This change poses significant challenges towards Christian individuals who remain steadfast in conservative values. Churches, believers, and ministers all over the nation now face serious conflicts and questions with their beliefs and the public around them (1).

Christians are currently feeling overwhelming pressure to make changes in their own churches that will allow for homosexual couples to practice in their facilities. They are already being labeled socially as hateful, prejudiced, and ignorant, which is a trial to the Christian who seeks to follow the council of Christ and love all. On top of that, ministers are being asked to perform marriages against their personal beliefs,…

Black Colleges Homosexuality

In order to create more egalitarian, prosocial, and productive campus environments, it is necessary to understand attitudes toward homosexuality and homosexual students. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students experienced relatively high rates of substance abuse, depression, and stress related to discrimination, difficulties forming social relationships, and low self-esteem (Heck, Flentje & Cochran, 2011). As Kirby (2011) points out, "Having a negative self-concept plays a major role in youth suicides, in how well one does in school, and in how one interacts with society at large." Therefore, the need for a more supportive social environment on college campuses is a pressing one.

Unfortunately, traditionally white universities and historically black universities in the United States have addressed the needs of the LGBT student community differently. Historically black colleges and institutions are defined as "institutions classified as higher education that were chartered prior to 1964 and created with the…

Housing Support on Teenager Parents

Housing Support on Teenagers

The Impacts of Housing Support on Teenagers Parent in United Kingdom

UK leads Europe in teenage pregnancies in Western Europe with 35,966 conceptions in the under 18s in 2009. Majority of these unplanned pregnancies are the cause and consequence of social exclusion in UK. (UNICEF, 2001) There are 90K teenagers under 20 years and 8k under 16-year's pregnancies in England each year; it is the highest rate in Western Europe (SEU, 1999).

Teenage pregnancy can take place before first menstrual period (12or 13 years), which can result into pregnancy but usually occurs between 13 to 20 years of age. The National Health Services spends over £63 million a year on teenage pregnancies in UK. (Dennison, 2004).

Teenage parenthood is a serious social problem; it has adverse effects on parents and children. These young mothers have greater chances of being poor, less…

Gay Marriage be permitted in the United States

Over the last several years, the issue of gay marriage has been increasingly brought to the forefront. Part of the reason for this, is because there has been a shift in social attitudes and beliefs about homosexuality within society. As, more people are supporting the idea that these individuals are entitled to the same constitutional protections as the rest of the general public. At the heart of this debate, is the controversy surrounding gay marriage. Where, both sides have made compelling arguments that are in support and against making this practice legal. For many individuals, the issue has become clouded with heated emotions that are not based on logic. Instead, the two sides are busy saying how bad the situation will be if the opposition is to prevail. These kinds of scare tactics have caused many middle of the road Christians, to…

lack Church and Homosexuality

There are plenty of reasons why the black church refuses to accept homosexuality amongst its patrons. The African-American people have been one of the most oppressed races in America. They felt separate from the rest of the Americans due to the color of their skin. The African-American community has struggled with a lot of racism. In order to allow their society to survive and remain united they turned to prayer. The church was their salvation and helped them deal with oppression and racism. It was a sacred ground for them to heal their pain and regain their respect.

lack Church and their opposition

The black church knows that homosexuality rips the social fabric apart. They feel that gay people are not able to reproduce. They feel it's a threat to the survival of society and can also bring innocent children into the fold. It is a…

Diversity Issues for Lesbian, Homosexual and isexual People

The 21st Century has brought us new and greater understanding of issues surrounding diversity as it pertains to lesbian and bisexual issues. In the past it was assumed that homosexuality represented a deviant manifestation of some form of mental illness. It was not until the late 1950s (Hooker, 1957) that this idea began to be questioned as an absolute and the lifestyle brought into closer study. It is to be the purpose of this paper to review issues surrounding the homosexual, lesbian and bisexual lifestyle, to identify the general nature of the lifestyle as it exists today and to examine the state of diversity issues as they pertain to this group.

Introduction

As previously mentioned, for many years homosexuality and lesbianism, as well as bisexuality were classified as mental illness. Evelyn Hooker (1957) was one of the first to do in depth…

Homosexual Viewpoint

For a long time, the topic of homosexuality has raised controversial responses from different quotas of the society. This paper aims at developing an argument in support of homosexual phenomena in the society.

One of the reasons that society should be accommodative of homosexuality is that it does not cause harm to anyone. The standard references to gay people include 'lesbians' for the females and 'gays' for the males. However, 'gay' is used to refer to both females and males in homosexual relationships. The scope of individuals identified as lesbian or gay to the proportion who engage in same-sex sexual relationships makes it harder for researchers to estimate varied options (Simon & Brooks, 2009). The concept is hard to disseminate for such as many lesbian or gay people without open identification of heterosexism and homophobic discrimination (Wolf & Kielwasser, 2014).

Many lesbian and gay people have absolute commitments…

pro-gay marriage. It establish a tone specific audience. It convey logos, pathos, ethos, depending audience. The thesis statement sentence paragraph.

In favor of same-sex marriage

Marriage is an institution that is supposed to foster social stability as well as honor the respect and love the partners feel for one another. Gay marriage is increasingly supported by a majority of the American public. "One major reason is that the wish and push to be married cast gay men and lesbians in the most benign, conservative light imaginable, not as enemies of tradition but as aspirants to it. In the quest for integration and validation, saying 'I do' to 'I do' is much more effective -- not to mention more reflective of the way most gay people live" (Bruni 2012). The arguments against homosexuality -- that it is perverse and dangerous to the family -- are undercut by the very real impulse…

Parents be Allowed to Choose their aby's Gender?

THE TWO SIDES

Should Parents be Allowed to Choose their aby's Gender?

A revolutionary lab technique, called sperm sorting, can now establish the gender of an offspring (Mail Online, 2013). The sperm carries the sex chromosome of a future child and sorting involves choosing the desired sex chromosome and then inseminating a woman with it. Gender can also be selected by abortion and before the embryonic stage through IVF or in vitro fertilization. Gender selection has been the subject of much debate because of its many consequences (Mail Online).

Artificial insemination consists of inserting concentrated sperm into the uterus to achieve a greater chance of fertilization (Stephens, 2011). Other methods are used to choose the gender of the baby. One is by using a dye on the desired gender from the sperm and then returning the dyed cell into womb. The Ericsson…

Cultural Representations of GLBTQ Peoples and Communities in the Mainstream Media

Attitudes and laws in American society concerning the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and queer (GLBTQ) communities have changed in substantive ways in recent years, and many observers credit the cultural representations of these communities in the mainstream media as contributing to this progress. Notwithstanding the progress to date, though, some observers suggest that the status of the GLBTQ communities today is still comparable to the status of women and blacks a half century ago and there is clearly a need for greater understanding of these alternative lifestyles communities by the general American public. To this end, this paper provides a review of the literature concerning current GLBTQ issues in American culture followed by a discussion concerning the manner in which interpretation of mainstream media content such as films, television shows, books, plays or events can provide fresh insights into…

While the same-sex parent is important in a child's life, the opposite-sex parent is also tremendously important. For the 90% of the population that are heterosexual, the opposite sex parent is the person who teaches them how to have romantic relationships. There is a reason that little girls love their daddies and that little boys are mama's boys, which has nothing to do with incest or actual sexual behavior. Instead, healthy opposite sex parents allow children to practice flirting and inter-gender behavior in a safe environment, free from sexual pressure. In fact, it is when children are deprived of interactions with their opposite-sex parent that they tend to seek adult attention elsewhere, becoming vulnerable to molesters and other predators. The opposite-sex parent is also important in the life of homosexual children, because they help teach children how to relate to people of different genders. There are recognized behavioral differences between…

added for a few specific points. Otherwise it can be assumed that I have added my thoughts about what the authors have said. In Part Two, I have included other sources and cited them properly.

Equal Treatment the eal Issue

In this piece the author assumes a basic fact: that because something is essentially a fundamental right at least at some point it becomes necessary for our social institutions (including government and possibly religious ones) to protect the use of the activities the rights allow for. This is what the U.S.A. Today article meant in paragraphs 4, 5, and 6, for example. ights, after all, would be useless if there were all type of obstacles put in their way of their actually being exercised. History and the law have placed themselves on the administrative side of this argument by allowing for the creation of a number of their own institutions…

However, how can one marry someone who they don't love? Isn't it wrong to keep two consenting adults from uniting under the act of marriage? It is almost as if the government obliges gay people to marry people that they are not attracted to in order to receive the legal marital benefits. This is, in fact, wrong, as it virtually means that the marriage institution would become perverted by people who would only marry because of interest.

According to Franke (2006), "the U.S. Supreme Court found laws that criminalized same-sex sex unconstitutional in Lawrence v. Texas." Gay people have found a precedent in the case, as they consider that the Supreme Court case Brown vs. The Board of Education is very similar to the one presently under discussion. The 1954 case involved the establishment of separate public schools for white and for black children, arguing that these institutions had been,…

channels are focused on the heated debate about homosexual marriages. Statutes are passed to allow it, thousands run to get it done before new statutes are put into place to remove the ability. At the center of the human rights tug-of-war, are the homosexuals of America. Many years ago, homosexuals were shunned by society. Their sexual orientation was deemed lewd and illegal and those who were homosexual were encouraged to remain firmly in the closet. For the past few decades, movement has been underway to dissolve the archaic attitudes and replace them with acceptance and tolerance. While this last challenge is faced, the fact remains that homosexuals are still experiencing discrimination and hate crimes. This paper will present an interview styled case study about the life of a homosexual. It will explore the biological, psychological and social aspects of being homosexual from the view point of one homosexual male. The…

Safe Schools for Lesbian and Gay Students

It is important that all children feel safe in the school environment. The majority of waking hours are spent at school, so it must be ensured that students feel comfortable, safe, secure, and supported while at school. This is especially the case for lesbian and gay students, who face several challenges in regards to discrimination, self-esteem, and fitting in with other students. It is the responsibility of teachers and school administrators to address this issue and devise strategies for ensuring that lesbian and gay students are appropriately supported in the school environment.

Lesbian and gay students often feel isolated, alienated, and left out at school (Youth Pride, 1997). These feelings of isolation result in several troubling outcomes. Suicide rates among lesbian and gay students are high, with studies indicating that gay and lesbian students are up to three times more likely to attempt…

Essay Prompt:
Topic: Should homosexual partners adopt?

a. Format of choice (APA/MLA) to include:
Title Page,
Introduction,
Body of Paper,
Conclusion, &
Reference Page
b. Typed, double spaced, 3-5 pages (not counting the title and reference pages), 12 pt font
c. Correct spelling, grammar and references
Why Gay and Lesbian Couples Should Adopt
The most recent United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) data reveals a total of 132 million orphans worldwide, 13 million of which have lost both parents. Many more children live in poverty abject enough to spawn child labor systems, with 168 million children worldwidealmost 11 percent of all children around the worldas child laborers (Worldwide Childrens Statistics, 2016). Given these alarming statistics, adoption should widely be promoted as an alternative to surrogacy, artificial insemination, fertility drugs, or even natural childbirth. Homosexual couples, both gays and lesbians, who want to start families need to look more closely at their…

Adopting a special needs child also presents strong demands on time and energy that "normal" families do not usually have to deal with. According to Cloud and Townshend (2001) "As a rule, children don't know what they are doing. They have little idea how to handle life so that it works right. That's why God gave them parents - to love them, give them structure and guide them into maturity" (p. 40). Special needs children often require additional nurturing, stricter discipline and setting of limits, and markedly more attention than traditional children. This can sometimes seem overwhelming for the parents, especially if this is there first experience raising a child. Even if there are other siblings, these extra demands can cause great amounts of stress for the entire family system. If the parents are spending too much time dealing with the needs of one child, then the other children may…

Retrieved from Dissertation Abstracts International. (Order No. 3132743)

In addition to sexual minority stress, same-sex parents may experience stressors that are specific to parenting, similar to the parental stress experienced by heterosexual parents (Lichtanski, 2004). Stress related to parenting can be chronic, as the stressors may be pervasive, ongoing, and require that families adapt to compensate for the effects of the stressors

Bos, H.M.., van Balen, F., van den Boom, D., & Sandfort, G.M. (2004). Minority stress, experiences of parenthood and child adjustment in lesbian families. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 22(4), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/02646830412331298350 4

Non-legal same-sex parents who have more restrictions and fewer rights may experience parenting as more stressful than same-sex parents who have full parenting rights. Examples of this may be feeling frustrated by not being able to provide health insurance to their children or concern about not having custody if the parents' relationship ends.…

Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union is known as such because it was waged not through direct conflict, but in through military and political stand-off between nations. On an international level, the Cold War was waged through techniques such as the U.S.S.R. extending its sphere of influence into Eastern Europe and the United States' Berlin airlift. However, its effects were also felt inside the United States, with the hysteria that resulted in the form of McCarthyism and the often-obsessive fear people expressed in regards to protecting themselves from possible nuclear conflict. The hatred an American expressed for communism was used to validate his or her status as a 'real' American. This line of reasoning can be seen today in issues of discrimination against Arabs and other demonized ethnic groups, as well as upon moral issues as abortion and gay parenting. One's stance on these issues is…

Gay Adoption

One of the more high-profile contemporary civil rights issues is the controversy over gay marriage. Proponents of the rights of same-sex couples argue that there is absolutely no basis for discrimination against gay marriage and that it is the precise equivalent of laws prohibiting interracial marriage from the shameful history of racial segregation in the U.S. Opponents of same sex marriage consider it to be a fundamental violation of traditional moral principles that have governed the institution of marriage throughout human history. They have also suggested that one of the strongest reasons for opposing gay marriage is that it legitimizes those relationships in a way that would greatly increase the numbers of adopted children raised by gay parents.

Meanwhile, there is absolutely no empirical evidence that gay parents are any less qualified to provide good homes for children than parents within traditional heterosexual marriages. I fact, there may…

gay and lesbian individuals should be allowed to legally marry. Same-sex marriage has been made legal in nine states (as of November, 2012). However, "Between 1998 and 2006, twenty-seven states amended their constitutions to prohibit same sex marriage" (Salka, et al., 2012). Clearly this is a contentious issue in America. Thesis: same-sex marriage should be legal in the United States because to continue to deny gay and lesbian couples the right to be legally married is a discriminatory practice which goes against the Constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process in the 5th and 14th Amendments.

Argument: The polling that has taken place over the past year in America clearly shows that the majority of citizens support same-sex marriage. hen attitudes change in America in such dramatic fashion as the attitudes have changed regarding same-sex marriage, it makes a powerful statement to the courts. A CBS News poll taken…

The decision in Lawrence Case has certainly opened a door for other important causes like gay marriage, for example. From this moment on, marriage became the final battleground in the quest for true equality, and judges have favorably pointed to Lawrence in rulings saying marriage discrimination violates their state constitutions. After Lawrence Case, there has been a series of state, federal and military courts cite it in nonmarriage decisions helpful to gay Americans: the Idaho Supreme Court on Sept. 21 said gay parents must be treated equally in custody disputes with heterosexual ex-spouses; the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on March 7 ruled that a Lebanese gay man is eligible to apply for U.S. asylum because he fears being tortured and killed if forced to return home; in U.S. v. Marcum, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces on Aug. 23 signaled it will decide on a case-by-case…

One rationale given is that children need same-sex role models to teach them how to behave as a man or as a woman (Knight). Opponents of same-sex marriage also claim that children raised by homosexuals are more dissatisfied with their own gender, suffer a greater rate of molestation within the family, and have homosexual experiences more often (Knight). Indirectly, opponents go on to say that gay marriage will encourage teens who are unsure of their sexuality to become victims of suicide, depression, drug abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases (enne and McDermott, 2004).

Opponents of same-sex marriage bash the child rearing abilities of homosexuals when we live in a society that allows murderers, convicted felons and child molesters to marry and procreate (Lesbian and gay marriages). Of course, gay or lesbian people make better parents than individuals that fall into those categories and many of the gay parent stereotypes simply aren't…

family in the UK

The traditional definition of family has always been unanimous among the various disciplines in life. Though the different disciplines may use different wording to derive the meaning of the concept of family, the underlying core similarities coalesced them all into similarity in definition and spirit. It basically boils down to a social unit that lives together, primarily a married heterosexual pair or couple and their children more often living together (Family Plus, 2009).

According to the anthropologists, the family was distinct from the household with the word family often used to refer to a group of individuals who have a common genetic connection. This genetic connection was manifest in the bearing and nurturing of children, ad the unit referred to as family had the right to property which was basically land at the moment.

It is evident with passing time and changing society that the definition…

Same Sex Marriage: efuting the Opposition

While a majority of Americans enthusiastically support equal rights for all citizens including homosexuals, few support same sex marriage (Bidstrup, 2004). Despite this same sex marriage is a right that should be provided to same sex couples as any other government benefits. Same sex couples deserve equal protection under the law just as any other couple would. This paper will argue in favor of same sex marriage, by presenting counter arguments to same sex marriage and refuting them.

Those opposed to legalizing same sex marriages argue "on the basis of plurality" (Pew Forum, 2005). A majority of opponents suggest their opposition is based purely on subjective distaste or opposition to the idea (roughly 35%) (Pew Forum, 2005). This is not adequate basis however to design a constitutional amendment barring same sex marriage. Under the constitution all citizens are afforded their right to equal protection…

" In all other cases, out-of-state marriages are valid and accepted everywhere. Even where domestic partnerships are recognized, same-sex couples may not be able to reap any real benefits: "Domestic partnership laws provide even fewer protections than civil unions and can vary dramatically depending on the jurisdiction that enacts the law. In some jurisdictions, domestic partner registries do not confer any rights or responsibilities at all and are simply a registration." (Doering, 2004)

The children of gay parents do not enjoy the same civil protections as children of heterosexual parents. In case of adoption, things may become even more complicated. A gay person who chooses to adopt a child is likely to face many hurdles since the legal system may prejudicially term him/her unfit to raise a child. Another important issue is the prejudice towards adoption by a co-parent. By denying the second parent the right to adopt the child…

status of same sex marriage (or marriage equality) is a controversial argument that has inspired vehement debate on both sides of the agenda. ince 2001, at least 10 countries have conducted same-sex marriages, and supporters allege that more states and countries than do at the moment have shown interest in legalizing same-sex marriage but are intimidated from doing so due to the frenzied opposition accompanying any such motion. Indeed, some of these countries (such as Israel, Brazil, Mexico, and parts of the U..A.) that do not perform same-sex marriages, do recognize these marriages when performed elsewhere.

In order to have a clear perspective on the ramification of this subjects, it would be beneficial to touch upon both perspectives of the debate and follow both sides of the reasoning before I conclude with my own opinion on the subject.

Arguments for ame-sex marriage

Proponents argue that denying homosexuals the right is…

Sexual Morality

Michael Levin contends that homosexuality should not be legitimatised, as it is both unnatural and immoral. Levin's argument against homosexuality may appear rather vague and generalized in the beginning but it does contain substance when studied carefully. The concluding part of his argument provides ample evidence that homosexuality is probably not as safe or harmless an option as we suppose it to be. When studied from deontological standpoint, we find Levin's arguments against legitimatization of homosexuality quite reasonable and practical.

While he has not cited any specific research in this connection, Levin's succeeds in establishing that legalization of homosexuality would lead to negative consequences in the long run. His arguments are based more on general knowledge and logic than empirical findings. He maintains that homosexuality is abnormal because a) it.." is a misuse of bodily parts" and b) it "is likely to cause unhappiness because it leaves unfulfilled…

Personal, Local or National Issue

It's unbelievable!" Janice said to my mom. "My partner needs surgery; she can't afford to wait or her condition will worsen. Yet the company I have worked for almost twenty years won't include her in my medical plan because we're both female. It's ridiculous!"

My mom shook her head with disbelief and sympathy. "I know. As soon as it seems like this culture is progressing and becoming more enlightened, we see every day on the news people who oppose the most basic of human rights. We are supposed to be a country promoting 'liberty and justice for all!" chewed my food in silence, listening to every word of this conversation. The issue of same-sex marriages has been in the news a lot lately, especially since the state of Massachusetts recently became the first place where gay couples could legally wed. In other places, homosexual partners…

Students With Diverse Families

Written by Wendy Schwartz of Columbia University, Family Diversity in Urban Schools is a study of urban students living with caregivers other that their biological parents. In it, she presents a comprehensive and illuminating exploration of these households, along with recommendations that will help schools provide support for these families. Her well documented, well organized article characterizes the most common types of nontraditional families, and makes recommendations for schools that provide support for these families. The definition of family that the author prefers is the following:

Any group of individuals that forms a household based on respect, the meeting of basic needs, as well as those of love and affection, and one in which assistance is freely given to maintain social, spiritual, psychological, and physical health

According to Hampton, Rak, and Mumford, anywhere between thirty and sixty percent of all urban students live with caregivers that…

Family elations esearch

The Sociology of Families and Households is a film that will be examined in this paper. The film is full of controversial topics as well as complex socioeconomic issues that will be discussed in detail. A textbook, Public and Private Families, written by Andrew Cherlina share a lot of concepts of the film will be brought in to the discussion as well.

The various relationships that exist between Marxist theory, sociological perspectives, structural functionalism, as well as the family and early feminist theory are examined throughout the program. It examines the rapid decline in marriage over the last few decades as well as the great increase in couples choosing cohabitation. Divorce is increasing and the fertility rate is on the decline in the U.K. All of these factors have combined to affect the traditional family in Britain and has created new challenges for them in how everyday…