Children of same-sex couples fare as well as those of heterosexual ones, study finds

‘There may be less gender stereotyping in minority parent families, and this effect may be positive’

The children of sexual minority families fare as well as, or better than, “traditional” families with parents of the opposite sex, according to a new review of studies.

The analysis, published in the journal BMJ Global Health, confirmed that the sexual orientation of parents isn’t an important determinant of children’s development.

While the number of kids in families with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer parents has risen in recent years, hate mongers provoke controversy raising questions on whether parental sexual orientation affects family outcomes.

In the new review research, scientists, including those from the Guangxi Medical University in China, assessed 34 relevant studies carried out in countries where same-sex relationships were legally recognised.

The reviewed studies were published between January 1989 and April 2022, researchers noted.

Results of 16 of the 34 studies indicated that most family outcomes were similar between these two family types.

Domains like child psychological adjustment and child-parent relationships were better in sexual minority families, the study noted.

“Growing up with sexual minority parents may confer some advantages to children. They have been described as more tolerant of diversity and more nurturing towards younger children than children of heterosexual parents,” researchers explain.

In some areas like couple relationship satisfaction, mental health, parenting stress, or family functioning, sexual minority parents didn’t outperform different parental sex families, according to the study.

Some factors influencing poor outcomes for sexual minority families included experiencing stigma and discrimination, inadequate social support, and co-habiting rather than married parents.

“There may be less gender stereotyping in minority parent families, and this effect may be positive,” researchers suggest, adding that the understanding of gender identity and sexuality may “enhance children’s ability to succeed and thrive in a range of contexts.”

Citing a limitation of the research, scientists said the analysis only included studies from regions where same-sex relationships were legalised.

They concluded that children from sexual minority families are not at a disadvantage compared with those from families where the parents are heterosexual.

“One contribution of this review is the recognition that parents’ sexual orientation is not, in and of itself, an important determinant of children’s development,” scientists wrote in the study.

“Another…is that there are significant risk factors often associated with the sexual minority experience and family functioning, such as stigma, poor social support and parenting styles,” they added.

Researchers call for policymakers, practitioners, and the public to work together to improve family outcomes, regardless of the sexual orientation of parents.