Gay and Lesbian Parents and Families

Some Current Stats

• Approx, 2 to 9 million children in the U.S raised by a LGBTQ+ parent

  • Highly variable statistics

• Approx. 14.7% of the >1 million same-sex couples in the U.S. report living with a child

  • More complex/diverse fam than diff-sex couples

    • 4x more likely to have adopted or stepchildren living with them

    • house more multiracial

  • 22.6% lesbian couples live with child vs 5.7% gay male couples

Is there a debate within the psychological-scientific community?

• No there is no debate

Cultural Views Having Been Changing

• In 2004, 60% U.S. adults opposed gay marriage and only 1 state (MA) in the US legally recognized same-sex marriage

• In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage i all 50 states, striking down state bans

  • 5-4 decision on obergefell v hodges

  • 14 states had banned gay marriage

Some myths about same-sex parenting…what does the empirical literature say