From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 95 10:42:33

>         I need some help, please.  I having been discussing
 > gay/lesbian/bi
 > rights with my friend who believes that gay/lesbian/bi marriages are
 > wrong
 > becasue they can't raise a child in a healthy atmosphere.  I need to
 > find
 > some scientific articles (which I know exist for I have seen some

Here are some citations for you:

"The Lesbian Mother," by Bernice Goodman [American Journal of
Orthopsychiatry, Vol. 43 (1983), pp. 283-284]
Kirkpatrick, Martha et al; "Lesbian Mothers and Their Children: A
Comparative Study," 51 American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 545 (1983)
"Homosexual Parents," by Brenda Maddox [Psychology Today, February,
1982, pp.66-69]
Riddle, Dorothy I.; "Relating to Children: Gays as Role Models," 34
Journal of Social Issues, 38-58 (1978)
"The Avowed Lesbian Mother and Her Right to Child Custody," by Marilyn
Riley [San Diego Law Review, Vol. 12 (1975), p. 799]
Susoeff, Steve; "Assessing Children's Best Interests When a Parent is
Gay or Lesbian: Toward a Rational Custody Standard," 32 UCLA Law Review
852, 896 (1985)
Gibbs, Elizabeth D.; "Psychosocial Development of Children Raised by
Lesbian Mothers: A Review of Research," 8 Women & Therapy 65 (1988)
Green, Richard; "The Best Interests of the Child With a Lesbian
Mother," 10 Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry & Law 7
(1982)
Turner, Pauline et al; "Parenting in Gay and Lesbian Families," 1
Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy 55, 57 (1990)
Golombok, Susan; "Children in Lesbian and Single-Parent Households:
Psychosexual and Psychiatric Appraisal," 24 Journal of Child Psychology
& Psychiatry 551 (1983)
Hoeffer, Beverly; "Children's Acquisition of Sex-Role Behavior in
Lesbian-Mother Families," 51 American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 536
(1981)
Green, Richard; "Sexual Identity of 37 Children Raised by Homosexual
or Transsexual Parents," 135 American Journal of Psychiatry 692 (1978)
Green, Richard; "Lesbian Mothers and Their Children: A Comparison with
Solo Parent Heterosexual Mothers and their Children," 15 Archives of
Sexual Behavior 167 (1986)
Gottman, Julie Schwartz; "Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents," 14
Marriage and Family Review 177 (1989)
Rees, Richard; "A Comparison of Children of Lesbian and Single
Heterosexual Mothers on Three Measures of Socialization," 40
Dissertation Abstracts International 3418-B, 3419-B (1979)
Sterkel, Alisa; "Psychosocial Develpment of Children of Lesbian
Mothers," Gay & Lesbian Parents 75, 81 (Frederick W. Bozett, ed., 1987)
Mucklow, Bonnie M., & Phelan, Gladys K.; "Lesbian and Traditional
Mothers' Responses to Adult Response to Child Behavior and
Self-Concept," 44 Psychological Report 880 (1979)
Whittlin, William A.; "Homosexuality and Child Custody: A Psychiatric
Viewpoint," 21 Concilation Courts Review 77 (1983)
Herek, Gregory M.; "Myths About Sexual Orientation: A Lawyer's Guide
to Social Science Research," 1 Law & Sexuality: A Review of Lesbian &
Gay Legal Issues 133 (1991)
Cramer, David; "Gay Parents and Their Children: A Review of the
Research and Practical Implications," 64 Journal of Counseling &
Development 504 (1986)
Wismont, Judith M., & Reame, Nancy E.; "The Lesbian Childbearing
Experience: Assessing Developmental Tasks, 21 Journal of Nursing
Scholarship 137 (1989)
Meyer, Cheryl L.; "Legal, Psychological, and Medical Considerations in
Lesbian Parenting," 2 Law & Sexuality: A Review of Lesbian & Gay Legal
Issues 237 (1992)
"In the 'Best Interests of the Child' and the Lesbian Mother: A
Proposal for Legislative Change in New York," 48 Albany Law Review 1021
(1984)
Harris & Turner, "Gay & Lesbian Parents," 12 Journal of Homosexuality
101 (1985-1986)
Kleber, Howell & Tibbits-Kleber, "The Impact of Parental Homosexuality
in Child Custody Cases: A Review of the Literature," 14 Bulletin of the
American Academy of Psychiatry & Law 81 (1986)
"The Avowed Lesbian Mother and Her Right to Child Custody: A
Constitutional Challenge That Can No Longer Be Denied," 12 San Diego
Law Review 799 (1975)
"Sexual Orientation and the Law" by the Editors of the Harvard Law
Review (Harvard University Press, 1989)
Green, G. Dorsey, & Bozett, Frederick W., "Lesbian Mothers and Gay
Fathers," in Homosexuality: Research Implications for Public Policy,
ed. by Gonsiorek & Weinrich (Sage Publications, 1991)
Lewin, E., "Lesbianism and Motherhood: Implications for Child
Custody," 40 Human Organization 6-14 (1981)
Ricketts, Wendell; "Lesbians and Gay Men as Foster Parents"
(University of Southern Maine, 1992)

You can find many additional citations in this bibliography: "Lesbian
Mothers and Their Children: Annotated Bibliography of Legal and
Psychological Materials," by Donna J. Hitchens and Ann G. Thomas,
editors [San Francisco Lesbian Rights Project]

These studies, reports, and articles all reach the same conclusion:
Children raised by lesbians and gay men do not differ from children
raised by heterosexuals "on measures of popularity, social adjustment,
gender role behavior, gender identity, intelligence, self-concept,
emotional problems, interest in marriage and parenting, locus of
control, moral development, independence, ego functions, object
relations, or self esteem." Additionally, no significant differences
have been observed in regard to "teachers' and parents' evaluations of
emotional and social behavior, fears, sleep disturbances,
hyperactivity, and conduct differences." (Meyer, "Legal, Psychological,
and Medical Considerations in Lesbian Parenting," 2 Law & Sexuality:
Rev. Lesbian & Gay Legal Issues 239-240 [1992])

The same article goes on to note that a very few differences HAVE been
reported by some researchers: One study found children raised by
heterosexual mothers had a HIGHER rate of psychiatric disorders and
psychiatric referrals than those raised by lesbians. Another study
found that those raised by heterosexuals were more domineering and more
often engaged in power struggles. Other studies found that children of
lesbian parents showed greater tolerance for diversity and that
daughters of lesbians chose to play with opposite sex partners more
often than daughters of heterosexual mothers.

Citations showing that children of gay parents are no more likely to
grow up gay:

Golombok, Spencer, & Rutter, Children in Lesbian and Single-Parent
Households: Psychosexual and Psychiatric Appraisal, 24, J. Child
Psychology and Psychiatry 551, 568 (1983)

Green, The Best Interests of a Child with a Lesbian Mother, 10 Bull.
Am. Acad. Psychiatry and Law, 7, 13, (1982)

Green, Mandel, Hotveldt, Gray, & Smith, Lesbian Mothers and Their
Children: A Comparison with Solo Parent Heterosexual Mothers and Their
Children, 15 Archives Sexual Behav., 167, 181 (1986)

Kirkpatrick, Smith, and Roy, Lesbian Mothers and their Children: A
Comparative Survey, 51 Am. J. Orthopsychiatry 545, 551 (1981)

Bozett, Children of Gay Fathers, in Gay and Lesbian Parents, F. Bozett
ed. (1987)

/s/ Deacon Maccubbin
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