Self-Esteem of Kids From Same Sex Couples. Information From a Lesbian Therapist in Long Beach.
Children of Same-Sex Parents Are Just As Healthy, Happy & Well Adjusted As Everyone Else:
Critics of same sex marriage claim that the children of gay couples will enter the world at a disadvantage. They’ll be motherless children. They won’t understand the true meaning of love because they aren’t receiving it from a traditional coupling of a man and a woman. They’ll endure a life of hardship because their family is different. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Children of same sex couples are just as loved. In fact, they have the same level of self-esteem as their counterparts with straight parents. In many cases, it’s even higher. Children of same sex couples are in the family as a result of a thought out choice. Same sex couples don’t have kids by accident. So all the worry about protecting or saving the children of same sex couples is unwarranted. They’re just fine. They might even be better off.
Back in 2013, a University of Melbourne research study revealed that children of same-sex parents aged 5 to 17 years old had better overall health compared to similarly aged children in other groups. These kids also showed stronger family cohesion. That same study also revealed that children of same-sex couples had the same level of self-esteem and emotional maturity as other kids. It was a purely fascinating study first reported to the public by Daily Mail.
And those results were no fluke. In early 2014, the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute released similar study results. As reported by Elixher, children of lesbian parents had higher self-esteem and less behavioral conduct issues.
In relation to that report, Dr. Nanette Gatrell confirmed to Huffington Post what the LGBT community has known all along. The outcome of the children’s development depends heavily on the quality of parenting received and not the parents’ sexual orientation.
These results have continued to find support in additional studies. Most recently, Science Daily reported on a study released by the American Academy of Pediatrics in April. That study confirmed that children of gay fathers are well-adjusted with overall strong well-being, relationships with their peers, and high self-esteem.
If anything, the issues that children of same-sex couples may face will come from outside of their home. They can often become the subject of bullying, teasing, or harassment from friends and classmates. It will likely be harder for children of heterosexual couples to understand the family differences.
Surely, there will be more studies. More scientists and researchers will dig in to see if they can uncover a new angle. But it seems clear that gay parents are doing a great job raising their children. The difficulty they’re facing is coming from others who don’t want them to have this right. But inside the home, these children are just fine. Even better in many cases.
For same-sex couples weighing the options of starting a family, don’t let the naysayers discourage you. If you are capable of loving each other, then you’re more than capable of loving your child. Love is love, and as long as it’s given, it can cultivate beautiful children.