Why Gay Parents May Be the Best Parents

[tabatha]

Gay marriage, and especially gay parenting, has been in the cross hairs in recent days.

On Jan. 6, Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum told a New Hampshire audience that children are better off with a father in prison than being raised in a home with lesbian parents and no father at all. And last Monday (Jan. 9), Pope Benedict called gay marriage a threat "to the future of humanity itself," citing the need for children to have heterosexual homes.

But research on families headed by gays and lesbians doesn't back up these dire assertions. In fact, in some ways, gay parents may bring talents to the table that straight parents don't.

Gay parents "tend to be more motivated, more committed than heterosexual parents on average, because they chose to be parents," said Abbie Goldberg, a psychologist at Clark University in Massachusetts who researches gay and lesbian parenting. Gays and lesbians rarely become parents by accident, compared with an almost 50 percent accidental pregnancy rate among heterosexuals, Goldberg said. "That translates to greater commitment on average and more involvement."

http://news.yahoo.com/why-gay-parents-may-best-parents-131902676.html

[Yooperman]

1. Well this should cause some right wing heads to explode... :-)

I feel this study is most likely very accurate. Gays and Lesbians would be much more tolerant and open minded. Setting a great example to the children to accept people as they are and not to judge. At least the great majority would be this way.

to all the great Gay and Lesbian parents out there.

[MADem]

2. Santorum is an ass. The best parents are the ones who give a crap about their kids.

It doesn't matter where you fall on the "who do you favor" spectrum, it's all about the kids. If you care about your children and spend time actively raising them, imparting your values, teaching them stuff like compassion and empathy, instead of letting the TV and the XBox do that for you, you're in good shape.

[eridani]

3. Simply common sense

Infertile heterosexuals who adopt are probably better for the same reason. Extrapolating the logic, gay men would be better parents than lesbians because the barriers to reproduction are higher for them.

[LARED]

4. Extending this logic

ugly heterosexuals males with poor hygiene make better parents.

[eridani]

5. They'll have a much harder time of it than gay men, even. n/t

[badgerpup]

6. Think I came across an excerpt from a study somewhere...

...a gay/lesbian person in the family is a GOOD THING survival-wise...instead of producing their own offspring, they tend to contribute to the raising, health and well-being of the kids of their straight siblings...more than a straight aunt-or-uncle does.

Gives the kids a BETTER chance at growing up into decent, well-grounded people since they have more adults on 'their side' and contributing to their welfare and happiness.



Not to mention that (in my own limited experience) it's the gay uncle or lesbian aunt who are the 'coolest' members of the family...