| Conclusions |
| * The topic I chose to do my project on is highly controversial. It has implications in morality, religion, politics, and public policy. Attempting to find some sort of middle ground while not getting my personal beliefs involved in my presentation has been difficult. * What I can conclude from the research I have conducted on the subject of homosexuality and homosexual parenting, adoption, and foster parenting is that more research needs to be done! There is simply too much conflicting research to definitively SAY which point of view is correct (gay and/or lesbian parenting is good for kids/does not affect kids/is detrimental to child development). * That being said, it is my belief that some research studies may be picked apart by those emphatically against homosexual parenting because the study may conflict with the moral beliefs of the person opposing the research. This topic is so controversial because there are many that believe that homosexuality is a sin. Obviously, someone who believes that God thinks that homosexuality is wrong, will not support homosexual parenting, adoption, or foster parenting. I would hope that these people would be able to set aside their own moral and/or religious beliefs, and instead focus only on the science, but this may not always be the case. * I have to admit that it was difficult for me to attempt to equally represent the contrasting view to homosexual adoption fairly. Though I attempted to refrain from presenting a bias that reflected my own point of view, I think my own beliefs still came through. From the books I have read, the interviews with children of gay and lesbian parents I have read, and from my contact with the member of DA*DI, I have come to more strongly believe that the rights of gay and lesbian parents should NOT be restricted simply because of their sexual orientation. |
| Follow up questions: How often does one see families in which a parent is gay, the child raised by that parent is gay, and that child's child is also gay? Do the younger children (under age 12) develop any issues with their parent's sexuality once they grow older? Schulenburg shows that often times, these younger children are indifferent. However, once the social environment in which they grow up in becomes more important in their lives, and they are better able to grasp the concept of sexuality, do they develop problems with their parent's sexual orientation? A long-term study would need to be conducted to answer this question. Is it possible that by recruiting gay males through homosexual-orientated magizines for research studies that the results could be skewed? Perhaps those who answer ads in these magazines are more comfortable with their sexual orientation, and therefore, pass that security on to their children. In contrast, those who do not read and/or respond to ads in homosexual-orientated magazines may be less comfortable with their sexual orientation, and may pass that uncertainty on to their children. In this way, those children who have parents confidant in their sexuality may have less of a problem accepting it, when compared to chidlren with parents who are less confident in their sexuality. Potential question for a project: Does "conversion" therapy on homosexuals really change them into happy heterosexuals? NARTH contends that it is possible. A project done on studying the success rate of those who "converted" would be interesting. If these people went on to have families, how successful are they at raising children? How do the children turn out? Do these people "convert" back to the homosexual lifestyle? |