Thursday, April 29, 2010

Discussion and References Part 3

DISCUSSION
3. After researching different websites, books, and journals I came to the conclusion that yes, living under a homosexual household, can effect the children in both a positive way and a negative way. In today's world we have people that despise the "gay community" and we have people that adore it. Growing up as a gay individual can be very hard and it comes with very trying times, but to some it's worth the pain and more. Loving the same sex brings joy so deep into the heart that gay bashing turns into a understatement. Some positive effects that growing up in a gay household have are: men knowing that they too can cry and be ok with life, is a tremendous positive effect that seems to rise in many gay households. A lot of men today, "cry in the dark." Men believe they have to hold some strong, masculine image, and tears will only weaken that picture. Little do men know, crying is weakness leaving the body and it actually can make them that much stronger.
All in all after studying this research and really understanding both sides to this situation, I can finally answer my question: Does homosexual parents have an effect on children becoming gay? In my own opinion and what I recieved from my research, no. Just like with everything else in life, a person is given the choice to do what they want too. A person will be open to gay life whether their parents, friends, neigbors, or just people on television show their homosexual sides. So yes, living under a gay household is much more personal than seeing it on tv, but the choice of being who you want to be, still doesnt change.
REFERENCE PAGE
Heterogeneous couples in heterosexual marriages: gay men and straight women; Bozett, F.W. Journal of 'Marital and Family Therapy; 1982 Vol. 8, 9p

Homosexual identity formation: A theoretical model; Cass, V.C. Journal of Homosexuality; 1979 Vol. 4, 17p

Gay and lesbian identity development: A social identity perspective; Cox, S.; Gallois, C. Journal of Homosexuality; 1996 Vol. 30, 30p

The Archaeology of Knowledge; Foucault, Michel; 1972, New York : Harper and Row

Gates J. Gary, Badgett Lee M.V., Macomber Ehrle Jennifer, Chambers Kate. UCLA School of Law www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/.../FinalAdoptionReport.pdf Washington, DC

Methods and Results Part 2

METHODS and RESULTS
2. In order to get the most accurate result, I will have a few different surveys with this research topic, just like the articles Gay and lesbian identity development: A social identity perspective and The Archaeology of Knowledge. One method would be handing out the same survey to two different sexual preference groups. The two groups will be gay or bisexual children growing up with homosexual parents, while the other group will be straight growing up with homosexual parents. The survey will have questions about what specific effects did it have on both groups while lgrowing up in a homosexual household. This survey would some how break down the effects homosexual parents would have on their children but at the same time it shows that one can grow up under these circumstances and still not become gay.
The results of my survey would show that it's pretty much 50/50. Yes in certain households parents sexual preference can rub off on their children. Some of my surveys would show that the time factor that children spend with their parents has a big effect and impact on how the children will become. Once their old enough to really understand what liking the same sex really is, it will be easier to get more accurate results. After researching many different websites, with their own surveys, www.law.ucla.edu showed how one family we're extremely close and spent so much quality time together that by the age 13, the daughter just knew she way gay, and has been that way for about 7 years now. The other family that the same website surveyed was not as close, the children hardly seen their parents, and actually started gay bashing was they were of age. This is why my result has a 50/50 chance, it all boils down to the individual at the end of the day.

Introduction of my research proposal

INTRODUCTION
1. Homosexuality is a topic that continues to spark controversy throughout the world. This topic alone is a sensitive subject, but when you add the factor of raising children it becomes children? The purpose of this proposal is to answer the following research question: Does homosexual parents have any effect on their children becoming gay? As we go through this paper we will look at both aspects of this research proposal. Research has been shown to support both sides of this topic.
Some believe that a homosexual couple will raise a homosexual child. A new study by two sociologists from the University of Southern California showed that children raised by homosexual couples are more likely to show more empathy to social diversity, are less conformed to gender stereotypes, and are probably more likely to participate in homosexual activity themselves. According to the sociologists the emotional health of the children is the same as normally raised children. The co-author in the study, Professor Judith Stacey found that, compared to the daughters of heterosexual mothers, the daughters of lesbians more frequently dress, play and behave in ways that do not conform to sex-typed cultural norms, they show greater interest in activities with both masculine and feminine qualities,and they have higher aspirations to occupations that are not traditionally female. One study examined by the researchers indicated that a significantly greater proportion of young adult children raised by lesbians had engaged in a same-sex relationship (six of 25 interviewed) than those raised by a heterosexual mother (none of 20 interviewed).
What I recieved from both journals Heterogeneous couples in heterosexual marriages: gay men and straight women and Gay and lesbian identity development: A social identity perspective feel that just because a child is raised by a homosexual couple does not mean they will be homosexual. The committee report found that none of the several hundred children studied evinced gender identity confusion, wished to be of the other sex or consistently engaged in cross-gender behavior, no differences were found in the toy, game, activity, dress or friendship preferences of boys or girls with gay parents compared with those with heterosexual parents, nor any differences in sexual attraction or self-identification as gay. The study also showed that the children raised by a homosexual couple were "more tolerant of diversity and more nurturing toward younger children than children whose parents are heterosexual."