Queer birthing parents who faced postpartum mental health challenges often avoided seeking help because of fears of being declared unfit, the involvement of child welfare services, the stigma of mental illness, and concerns about racism, homophobia, and transphobia, according to a new study.
A new study of LGBTQ parents found that two-thirds of the participants—and especially trans parents—said their children experienced structural and/or interpersonal stigma at school. The parents, however, shared a variety of proactive and reactive ways they worked to prevent or offset such stigma.
Although there is an increasing amount of research on the general well-being of children with same-sex parents, little has been done that looks at the parents’ experience in school settings. The few existing studies have focused on elementary schools. A new study, however, seeks to broaden our understanding by looking at the considerations of both same-sex and different-sex adoptive parents when choosing a preschool.
More stories I haven’t covered earlier, including a terrific piece by the mother of a sperm donor; a newly out lesbian mom with a major university sports program; and yet more research showing sexual orientation of parents doesn’t negatively impact children.
Yet another study has confirmed what many of us already know: having same-sex parents doesn’t predict how well-adjusted a child will be. This new study is notable, however, for looking at adopted children who were placed in their adoptive homes at a very young age.
Young adults with lesbian moms and male donors are generally happy with their relationships with the donors, a new study has found. Most do not view their donors as dads, but some still have a growing interest in seeing them more often than when they were younger.
A new study has shown that adopted children of same-sex parents are “significantly less” gender stereotyped in their play habits than adopted children of opposite-sex parents. That news is likely to be seen as a Bad Thing by many on the extreme right—but as the study notes, many scholars, parents, and educators today believe a more flexible attitude towards gender roles is less limiting to children’s development. Such openness may thus have psychological benefits—and that’s a Good Thing.
Stories can be told in many ways. Two new works—one poetic, one academic—take strikingly different approaches to telling the stories of LGBT people and families.
I’m very excited to invite you to an online forum for LGBT parents and their children this Wednesday, May 16th, at 2:30pm ET, hosted by In the Life Media. They’ve asked me to join Zach Wahls, whose speech about marriage equality went viral on YouTube; Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida; and Dr. Abbie Goldberg, assistant professor of psychology at Clark University and author of “Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children.” It should be a great discussion!
Dr. Abbie Goldberg, author of the highly recommended Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children: Research on the Family Life Cycle, is now blogging at the Psychology Today Web site in a new column, “Beyond Blood.”
