Separated-at-birth twins get married

[Mehen]

like I said I do not want to participate anymore because I think that we are not getting anywhere.

And we probably won't get anywhere in this thread anytime soon. There is a huge lack of research in this area.

"Despite considerable variation in the quality of their samples, research design, measurement methods, and data analysis techniques, the findings to date have been remarkably consistent. Empirical studies comparing children raised by sexual minority parents with those raised by otherwise comparable heterosexual parents have not found reliable disparities in mental health or social adjustment." (Herek, 2006).

"In a careful review of studies looking directly at children of same-sex couples, Anderssen, Amlie, and Ytteroy (2002) reported that with the exception of several studies of sexual preference and one regarding stigmatization, there was no research on the emotional functioning, gender role behavior, behavioral adjustment, or gender identity of the children of gay fathers. A search for studies that might have been missed by Anderssen et al. yielded no substantive research." (Shiller, 2007, APA Journal).

Another thing to note about looking for research on Homosexual parents, is that the number of families used in studies are very small, and hardly representitive.

I've been searching through the University's database of journal articles, and it has been extremely hard to find anything of value on the topic. There is a fair bit of commentary and reviews, but VERY LITTLE actual research to be found.

In every psych course I've taken that has considered homosexuality (at least 3 I'm sure), they have said that it has no significant effects on parenting, but provides little support either way.

I think arguing about it is moot at this point.

[Mehen]

If you want to talk about something - maybe that could be WHY there is so little research done in this area.

[NetSnake]

I do not know why this is a political issue either, but it is.
I think the article is quite neutral in presenting both sides. I never said it was a scientific article or that it states all possible arguments that someone can have.

most of the news articles on this issue on the web present polarized opinions. Heck, even many of the scientific articles I read seemed to be politically biased.

This is why I think that one should look at the primary data.

[NetSnake]

mehen

I agree.

As soon as people started mentioning research about this issue I tried to download as much as I could find (I have institutional access).

And I noted the fact that there are no solid scientific facts at least twice but I kept getting the "research does not suggest.... blah blah blah" and "please, provide evidence". But how can one ask for evidence when the data have HUGE gaps and are very incomplete and at the same invoke science saying "there is no evidence to suggest unfitness" ?


The data is either complete and conclusive and provide a strong argument or, in this case, its not and one should not try to invoke science to make a point.

[Umfriend]

That does beg the question, again, whether we should deny thousands of people the choice in their persuit of hapiness just because of the (still) unsubstantiated notion that gay couples are unfit to raise kids?

[NetSnake]

....

I think arguing about it is moot at this point.

umfriend, I agree with mehen.
More arguing will only lead to more tension. Also, please understand that its not personal, I don't want to argue about this with anyone. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

[Fat Tone]

I did say that the start that there were going to be a lot of worms coming out of this can.
Didn't expect to lose a murcer though!

[Umfriend]

umfriend, I agree with mehen.
More arguing will only lead to more tension. Also, please understand that its not personal, I don't want to argue about this with anyone. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Well, I was not arguing anymore. I was asking you for your position given what you posted in your first post in this thread.

I'll hapilly agree that we lack, seriously, data to discriminate between samesex and oppsex parenting and that therefore a debate on scientific findings is, well, rather pointless.

But there remains the question on what to do given that research using scientific methods won't help us. It will be clear where I stand on that.

[NetSnake]

so you want me to say yes or no without arguing about it?

come on, let's drop it

Edit:

sorry didn't read the question properly. I thought you were referring to this

That does beg the question, again, whether we should deny thousands of people the choice in their persuit of hapiness just because of the (still) unsubstantiated notion that gay couples are unfit to raise kids?

[Brian Ellis]

As I said:

All we can say today is that, with our present knowledge, there is no evidence that children brought up by stable same-sex partnerships are at any disadvantage or advantage, compared with their peers from stable two-sex partnerships. This may change in the future, in either direction, as we gain more knowledge.

Therefore, I see no reason why stable same-sex parenting should be banned or even discouraged.

[NetSnake]

So, I suppose that since everybody agrees that this is an important matter that the goverments should be urged to fund a comprehensive study.

One that is designed properly and includes enough people that represent all flavours (couple hetero, single hetero, couple male homo, single male homo, couple female homo, single female homo)

[NetSnake]

Brian you just can't extrapolate from divorced lesbian mothers to all the possible combinations that exist out there.

I think that suggestions on how such a study should be realistically designed would make a very interesting discussion.

and I say realistically because I understand it would be somewhat difficult to randomize male homosexual couples that raise children for example since apparently are not very easy to find...


Oh, and by the way I consider "same-sex" parenting (i.e. father and uncle) to be different from homosexual parenting.

[Fat Tone]

So, who's in favour of allowing threesomes to adopt?


THE END.

[NetSnake]

I wouldn't mind being adopted by three women

[Brian Ellis]

So, I suppose that since everybody agrees that this is an important matter that the goverments should be urged to fund a comprehensive study.

One that is designed properly and includes enough people that represent all flavours (couple hetero, single hetero, couple male homo, single male homo, couple female homo, single female homo)

A) the moment a government intervenes, it becomes political. If it is a conservative government, the researchers would be selected from conservatives etc. This kind of research (in fact all research) should be apolitical.

B) it would be impossible to conduct valid research of this nature because of the lack of mature adult persons brought up in each category. It would require sizeable cohorts and identical control groups.