I received this message from an especially kind reader, “Are you against homosexuality? I am a lesbian, so if you think gays can’t adopt kids you can rot in your fundamentalist grave.”
I have provided a very detailed 100-page answer to this question that was based on extensive behavioral science research. You can see this lengthy answer here. This law review article also quotes the reaction of children growing up with lesbian mothers or gay fathers, described in books written by homosexual authors who interviewed the children. The vast majority of these children who grew up with homosexual parents described their embarrassment, difficulties, problems, or emotional stresses associated with having a gay or lesbian parent. There are unique problems suffered by children growing up with a homosexual parent.
When we consider placing a child in an adoptive home, we need to lovingly consider what is in the best interests of the child. Large research studies consistently report that a majority of homosexually-behaving adults have a life-time incidence of one or more psychiatric disorders, while a majority of heterosexually-behaving adults do not suffer a psychiatric disorder. Homosexually-behaving adults also have higher rates of substance abuse. Homosexual couple relationships are, on the average, much shorter lived than heterosexual couple relationships. Psychiatric disorders and substance abuse in parents have negative effects on children. And the partner break-ups of parents also causes problems for children.
And the majority of children raised by homosexual parents end up themselves becoming married heterosexuals, but they lacked the preparation of growing up in a family that provided a model of married life. So research has established that significant disadvantages and unique stressors are likely to be suffered by children growing up with homosexual parents.
So the kindest, most loving, approach is to place children and teenagers eligible for adoption in homes with heterosexual parents. Children up for adoption already have a built-in disadvantage of not being able to be raised by their biological parents, so the state should not add yet additional disadvantages that are associated with having a homosexual parent, or two “daddies,” or two “mommies.” Also, research shows that more than half of the U.S. population considers homosexual behavior to be immoral, and kids growing up with homosexual parents learn this from their playmates and other adults. If given a choice, most kids would chose to grow up in families more like their friends’ families.
So my professional conclusion that homosexually-behaving adults should not be allowed to adopt children is based on research and logic. And above all, my professional conclusion is lovingly based on what is in the best interests of children, and not what is in the best interests of any particular activist group of people.
I thank my gentle reader for her kind question. You too may e-mail your questions to: teensextoday@ProfessorGeorge.com or just write to me on my blog. If we post your question, we will keep it anonymous. Count on me to be logical, ethical, and scientific in my answers.
© Copyright, 2008, Professor George LLC
George A. Rekers, Ph.D., FAACP, Distinguished Professor of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science Emeritus, University of South Carolina School of Medicine
