Children raised by parents in a stable same-sex relationship grow up to be physically and emotionally healthy. There is no glaring difference to their well-being from children of stable heterosexual parents, a new study has concluded.
The study, published by researchers from the Williams Institute, culled data from 190 households. Half of these were families with female same-sex parents, while the other half was different-sex parents. The researchers were not able to include male same-sex partners as there were a smaller number of participants from this group, per Science Daily.
Same-Sex Parenting vs. Different-Sex Parenting
Researchers specifically made sure that the participating households had no history of dysfunctionality, discourse and instability. The experts eliminated factors like adoption, divorce, separation or any other family issues that could impact the child.
In doing so, the study was able to narrow down the specifics as to what makes the child's relationship with his parents positive. Lead study author Henry Bos stated that the study was meant to aim at families whose parents have been in "continuous relationship" to see if their gender affects the child. The researchers concluded that it did not matter.
The Challenges of Same-Sex Parenting
Both groups demonstrated that children whose parents are in stable relationships have well-rounded learning and coping mechanisms. Regardless if they have same-sex or different-sex parents, the children showed fewer emotional baggage. However, researches saw that parents in same-sex relationships experience more stress than heterosexual parents, but this still didn't bear any impact on the children.
The stressor has to do with the way society regards the parents. "Some of our earlier studies have shown that lesbian mothers feel pressured to justify the quality of their parenting because of their sexual orientation," said study co-author and psychiatrist Nanette Gartrel in the press release.
While this study validates same-sex parenting, it's not the first to do so. Vox reports of two other studies that present the same results, in that children raised by same-sex parents with good socio-economic status grow up to have better physical and dental health or good psychological well-being, are socially adjusted and perform academically well.
