of growing up in a family with 1 or more gay par- dren seem to cope rather well with the challenge of ents...

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Smutek to uczucie, jak gdyby się tonęło, jak gdyby grzebano cię w ziemi.
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Smutek to uczucie, jak gdyby się tonęło, jak gdyby grzebano cię w ziemi.

Some among the vast variety of family forms,
understanding and describing their families to peers
histories, and relationships may prove more condu-
and teachers.
cive to healthy psychosexual and emotional devel-
Children born to and raised by lesbian couples
opment than others.
also seem to develop normally in every way. Ratings
Research exploring the diversity of parental rela-
by their mothers and teachers have demonstrated
tionships among gay and lesbian parents is just be-
children’s social competence and the prevalence of
ginning. Children whose parents divorce (regardless
behavioral difficulties to be comparable with popu-
of sexual orientation) are better adjusted when their
lation norms.8,24 In fact, growing up with parents
parents have high self-esteem, maintain a responsi-
who are lesbian or gay may confer some advantages
ble and amicable relationship, and are currently liv-
to children. They have been described as more toler-
ing with a partner.22,31 Children living with divorced
ant of diversity and more nurturing toward younger
lesbian mothers have better outcomes when they
children than children whose parents are heterosex-
learn about their mother’s homosexuality at a
ual.25,26
younger age, when their fathers and other important
In 1 study, children of heterosexual parents saw
adults accept their mother’s lesbian identity, and
themselves as being somewhat more aggressive than
perhaps when they have contact with other children
did children of lesbians, and they were seen by par-
of lesbians and gay men.22,24 Parents and children
ents and teachers as more bossy, negative, and dom-
have better outcomes when the daunting tasks of
ineering. Children of lesbian parents saw themselves
parenting are shared, and children seem to benefit
as more lovable and were seen by parents and teach-
from arrangements in which lesbian parents divide
ers as more affectionate, responsive, and protective
child care and other household tasks in an egalitarian
of younger children, compared with children of het-
manner28 as well as when conflict between partners
erosexual parents.25,27 In a more recent investigation,
is low. Although gay and lesbian parents may not,
children of lesbian parents reported their self-esteem
despite their best efforts, be able to protect their
to be similar to that of children of heterosexual par-
children fully from the effects of stigmatization and
ents and saw themselves as similar in aggressiveness
discrimination, parents’ sexual orientation is not a
and sociability.15
variable that, in itself, predicts their ability to provide
Recent investigations have attempted to discern
a home environment that supports children’s devel-
factors that promote optimal well-being of children
who have lesbian parents. The adjustment of chil-
opment.
dren who have 2 mothers seems to be related to their
Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and
parents’ satisfaction with their relationship and spe-
Family Health, 2000 –2001
cifically with the division of responsibility they have
Joseph F. Hagan, Jr, MD, Chairperson
worked out with regard to child care and household
William L. Coleman, MD
chores.28 Children with lesbian parents who reported
Jane M. Foy, MD
greater relationship satisfaction, more egalitarian di-
Edward Goldson, MD
vision of household and paid labor,29 and more reg-
Barbara J. Howard, MD
ular contact with grandparents and other relatives30
Ana Navarro, MD
were rated by parents and teachers to be better ad-
J. Lane Tanner, MD
Hyman C. Tolmas, MD
justed and to have fewer behavioral problems.
Children in all family constellations have been
described by parents and teachers to have more be-
Liaisons
havioral problems when parents report more per-
F. Daniel Armstrong, PhD
sonal distress and more dysfunctional parent-child
Society of Pediatric Psychology
David R. DeMaso, MD
interactions. In contrast, children are rated as better
American Academy of Child and Adolescent
adjusted when their parents report greater relation-
Psychiatry
ship satisfaction, higher levels of love, and lower
Peggy Gilbertson, RN, MPH, CPNP
interparental conflict regardless of their parents’ sex-
National Association of Pediatric Nurse
ual orientation. Children apparently are more pow-
Practitioners
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS
343
by guest on June 26, 2012
pediatrics.aappublications.org
Downloaded from
Sally E. A. Longstaffe, MD
vs heterosexual mothers: a neglected area of research. J Homosex. 1981; Canadian Paediatric Society
7:49 –56
14. Kirkpatrick M, Smith C, Roy R. Lesbian mothers and their children: a comparative survey. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1981;51:545–551
Consultants
15. Patterson CJ. Children of lesbian and gay parents. Adv Clin Child Psy-George J. Cohen, MD
chol. 1997;19:235–282
Ellen C. Perrin, MD
16. Patterson CJ. Children of the lesbian baby boom: behavioral adjustment, self-concepts, and sex role identity. In: Greene B, Herek GM, eds. Lesbian and Gay Psychology: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications. Thousand Staff
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 1994:156 –175
Karen Smith
17. Bailey JM, Bobrow D, Wolfe M, Mikach S. Sexual orientation of adult sons of gay fathers. Dev Psychol. 1995;31:124 –129
18. Gottman JS. Children of gay and lesbian parents. Marriage Fam Rev.
REFERENCES
1989;14:177–196
19. Patterson CJ. Children of lesbian and gay parents. Child Dev. 1992;63: 1. Laumann EO. National Health and Social Life Survey. Chicago, IL: Uni-1025–1042
versity of Chicago and National Opinion Research Center; 1995
20. Tasker FL, Golombok S. Growing Up in a Lesbian Family: Effects on Child 2. Barret RL, Robinson BE. Gay Fathers. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books; Development. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 1997
1990
21. Allen M, Burrell N. Comparing the impact of homosexual and hetero-3. Bigner JJ, Bozett FW. Parenting by gay fathers. In: Bozett FW, Sussman sexual parents on children: meta-analysis of existing research. J Homo-MB, eds. Homosexuality and Family Relations. New York, NY: Harrington sex. 1996;32:19 –35
Park Press; 1990:155–175
22. Huggins SL. A comparative study of self-esteem of adolescent children 4. Patterson CJ, Chan RW. Gay fathers and their children. In: Cabaj RP, of divorced lesbian mothers and divorced heterosexual mothers. J Ho-Stein TS, eds. Textbook of Homosexuality and Mental Health. Washington, mosex. 1989;18:123–135
DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1996:371–393
23. Tasker F, Golombok S. Adults raised as children in lesbian families.
5. Turner PH, Scadden L, Harris MB. Parenting in gay and lesbian fami-Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1995;65:203–215
lies. J Gay Lesbian Psychother. 1990;1:55– 66