Claims that children raised by same-sex parents are worse off than children raised by heterosexual parents, as maintained here last week by Rik Van Nieuwenhove of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, are not supported by research evidence, writes Geraldine Moane
There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that children parented by same-sex couples are at a developmental disadvantage. On the contrary, the evidence shows that children raised by lesbian parents are similar to children raised by heterosexual parents in gender identity, sexual orientation, well-being and sociability.
These are the consistent findings from numerous studies that were reviewed by Dr Susan Golombok of the University of Cambridge in a recent presentation at a British Psychological Society conference. Golombok concluded: "Children in lesbian families did not differ from other children as result of their non-traditional family environment."
Questions regarding same-sex parenting have been of considerable interest to researchers in Europe and the US for nearly three decades. The first studies on this topic were published in the 1970s at a time when women lost custody of their children on the grounds of sexual orientation.
These early studies compared single lesbian mothers with single heterosexual mothers.
Since then, there have been comparisons between children reared by lesbian couples, children reared by heterosexual couples, and children with stepmothers and stepfathers. Follow-up studies of adults raised by lesbian mothers have also been published.
These studies drew on methodologies developed in psychology, including quantitative and qualitative measures of gender identity, sexual orientation, psychological adjustment, social adjustment, parental styles and quality of parent-child relationship.
They have been conducted in different cultures at different times using small samples as well as population studies. They are published and reviewed in international peer-reviewed journals and by professional bodies such as the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Paediatrics Committee.
This considerable body of scientific evidence has consistently demonstrated that children of same-sex parents perform as well as children of opposite-sex parents on the measures of psychological development outlined above. Studies that follow children into adulthood have shown that adults with lesbian mothers are well-adjusted and feel positively about their experience.
The studies have found that lesbian mothers tend to be very involved with their children, often making additional efforts to ensure that they receive positive developmental experiences and are protected from the impact of discriminatory social attitudes.
As yet, there has been little research on gay men as parents, but preliminary findings are in agreement with those regarding lesbian mothers.
The findings of these studies of same-sex parenting are similar to the findings of a range of other studies of child development in showing that the quality of the parent-child relationship is a most important factor in child development, whether this relationship is with one parent or with two, or with gay or straight parents.
Where there is a second parent, parenting style rather than gender is the key factor. In other words, fathers or lesbian co-mothers contribute to child development through their parenting activities, and not necessarily because of their gender. Far from undermining these findings, as a number of opinion columnists and letter writers have tried to do, psychology has re-examined assumptions about gender development in the light of these findings and other studies on gender and sexual orientation. It appears that the family context may not be the most important factor in the development of gender identity and sexual orientation.
Gender and sexual orientation are clearly shaped by a range of powerful cultural and social factors as well.
Furthermore, arguments that assume that male and female are two distinct and opposite categories with intrinsically different characteristics are challenged by research findings that show the many similarities as well as differences between women and men.
Likewise, sexual orientation does not consist merely of two fixed categories of gay and straight. There is variation and fluidity both in gender identity and in sexual orientation.
It is clear that the scientific research on same-sex parenting challenges the deeply held assumption that the best environment for a child consists of two heterosexual parents of the opposite sex. From both a practical as well as an emotional viewpoint, children benefit from having adults devoted to their care, but it is the quality of the care rather than the gender or sexual orientation of the adults that is vital for children's well-being.
Providing a safe, secure and loving environment is more important for children than the gender or sexual orientation of parents. Instead of suggesting that heterosexual marriage is the only appropriate environment for positive child development, these findings support the view that there are many family contexts in which children can flourish.
In my view, these research findings are of interest both because they question established views about gender identity and sexual orientation, and because they have important political implications. They obviously undermine many of the arguments against same-sex marriage, and, perhaps more importantly, emphasise the quality of parenting as the key to children's well-being.
The evidence clearly shows that lesbians provide for their children. It is time to drop unfounded arguments that question the capacity of lesbians and gay men to forge bonds of love and provide quality parenting. Marriage and family have in common that they are based on love; surely it is indefensible to exclude anyone purely on the grounds of gender or sexual orientation?
Geraldine Moane is a senior lecturer in the School of Psychology at University College, Dublin