Children of Gay Fathers
Jennifer Sexton
October 11, 2012
CHILDREN OF GAY FATHERSThere is a lot of controversy over the status of children of gay fathers. Some say the children struggle more than other kids. Yet, others say that the children excel more due to being put in the spotlight. Also, there has been some speculation over when the fathers should come clean to their kids. They worry about damaging their self-esteem and grieving over their loss of innocence. The fathers who don’t discuss this issue with their kids are concerned that they will lead deeply conflicted lives and present parenting styles that constitute psychological distance. The parenting styles are not much different though. The fathers understand that they are being watched from a distance more than traditional fathers are. Their movements and actions are criticized at a much higher rate. How they deal with situations and react to problems are being looked at by traditional parents. Normally, gay fathers try to create a more stable home environment and more positive relationships with their children than traditional heterosexual parents. They provide more nurturing and in having less traditional parenting attitudes.There have been two studies over the years combating these issues. One is Green, 1978, and the other was Weeks, Derdeyn, and Langman, 1975. They used the same psychological tests on both studies for the children, but came up with the same conclusion that the parents sexuality has little to do with the sexuality of their offspring. But, there is a problem with each of those studies. In the Weeks, Derdeyn, and Langman study, the researchers only tested two children. And in the Green study, the kids were kin of only lesbian mothers or children of successful sex-change surgery, not gay fathers. So, does this make the studies true? Some say yes because gay fathers are characterized enough with the heterosexual field. They are enough alike for the studies to be conclusive. The purpose of this short
October 11, 2012
CHILDREN OF GAY FATHERSThere is a lot of controversy over the status of children of gay fathers. Some say the children struggle more than other kids. Yet, others say that the children excel more due to being put in the spotlight. Also, there has been some speculation over when the fathers should come clean to their kids. They worry about damaging their self-esteem and grieving over their loss of innocence. The fathers who don’t discuss this issue with their kids are concerned that they will lead deeply conflicted lives and present parenting styles that constitute psychological distance. The parenting styles are not much different though. The fathers understand that they are being watched from a distance more than traditional fathers are. Their movements and actions are criticized at a much higher rate. How they deal with situations and react to problems are being looked at by traditional parents. Normally, gay fathers try to create a more stable home environment and more positive relationships with their children than traditional heterosexual parents. They provide more nurturing and in having less traditional parenting attitudes.There have been two studies over the years combating these issues. One is Green, 1978, and the other was Weeks, Derdeyn, and Langman, 1975. They used the same psychological tests on both studies for the children, but came up with the same conclusion that the parents sexuality has little to do with the sexuality of their offspring. But, there is a problem with each of those studies. In the Weeks, Derdeyn, and Langman study, the researchers only tested two children. And in the Green study, the kids were kin of only lesbian mothers or children of successful sex-change surgery, not gay fathers. So, does this make the studies true? Some say yes because gay fathers are characterized enough with the heterosexual field. They are enough alike for the studies to be conclusive. The purpose of this short