February 7, 2002
The American of Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced this week its support of adoption by same-sex parents. The organization not only supports the right of gay couples to adopt a child together, but also calls for legal recognition of the second parent in same-sex relationships where one parent is biological.
In a policy statement, the AAP said that all children deserve the financial, psychological, and legal security that comes from having both parents recognized. The organization also cited research suggesting that "sexual orientation is not a variable that, in itself, predicts the ability to provide a home environment that supports children's development."
While acknowledging that there's no way to accurately determine the number of gay or lesbian parents in the United States - mostly because many such parents fear discrimination if they come forward - the AAP estimates that between 1 and 9 million American children have at least one parent who is gay. Most of these children were produced in a heterosexual relationship, often before the gay parent "came out." But an increasing number of same-sex partners are choosing to become parents using donor sperm or eggs, surrogate parenting, co-parenting arrangements, adoption, or foster parenting.
In years past, gays and lesbians were often denied visitation and custody rights for their biological children and were prevented from adopting because it was thought they would not be effective parents and the children would experience lasting social stigma. Although acceptance of same-sex adoption now varies from state to state (some states encourage it, some ban it entirely), the AAP maintains that research compiled over the last few decades does not support the theory that gays, by virtue of their sexuality alone, do not make good parents. And even though children of gay parents do seem to experience more teasing, they also appear to understand and cope well with the situation.
The AAP presented several studies assessing the attitudes and behaviors of gay parents and the development of a child's gender identity, sexual orientation, social adjustment, self-esteem, peer relationships, and emotional health. Although the studies were admittedly small, they all found that there were more similarities than differences in the parenting styles of homosexuals and heterosexuals in stable, established relationships, and that children in both situations developed typically. Likewise, children from distressed or dysfunctional families were found to have more behavior problems than those from homes with strong, positive family relationships - regardless of whether the parents were same-sex or not.
Among the rights called for by the AAP are the following: protection of custody rights if the first parent becomes sick or dies, protection of the second parent's custody and visitation rights if the couple separates, and the right of either parent to give legal consent for medical care and other important decisions. The group also supports measures to increase the child's financial security, including making both parents eligible to provide health benefits and responsible for paying child support in the event of separation.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 55,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Reviewed by: Neil Izenberg, MD
Date reviewed: February 2002
