home
RSS
Docs: Same-sex marriage benefits kids
March 21st, 2013
12:01 AM ET

Docs: Same-sex marriage benefits kids

Children raised by gay or lesbian couples benefit when their parents are allowed to marry, America’s top pediatrics group said Thursday in support of same-sex marriage.

“If a child has two living and capable parents who choose to create a permanent bond by way of civil marriage, it is in the best interest of their child(ren) that legal and social institutions allow and support them to do so, irrespective of their sexual orientation,” the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a policy statement.

Dr. Ellen Perrin, co-author of the policy statement, says marriage gives children of same-sex couples the same advantages of any married couple’s children.

“Marriage provides permanence and security for children, and those are extremely important for children’s well-being,” said Perrin, a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine who specializes in the developmental behavior of children. “(Marriage) allows them to grow up in an environment in which they’re confident of the solidity of their family and the fact that their family is just like every other family of kids they know in school.”

Almost 2 million children are being raised by gay and lesbian parents, according to the AAP. Only nine states and the District of Columbia currently allow same-sex couples to legally marry.

The policy statement comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to consider two same-sex marriage cases next week. One involves the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The other involves a California law banning gay marriage.

Critics of same-sex marriage have argued it hurts children, citing research that claims children do better when both a mother and a father are in the home.

In a 2009 story, Dale O'Leary, author of the book "One Man, One Woman: A Catholic's Guide to Defending Marriage," said being raised by a same-sex couple damaged children. All children have a natural desire for a parent of each gender, she says, and children of same-sex couples are forced to repress that desire because their parents won't accept it.

In a 2010 opinion piece, Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland, said “An eight-year study of girls and their families showed that a father's presence in the home, with appropriate involvement in his children's lives, contributed to daughters' reaching puberty at a later age."

Although Jackson did not provide specifics on the study, Perrin dismisses such concerns and says virtually all the studies evaluating the benefit of having both a mother and a father in the home compare the situation to a one-parent family, typically the mother alone—not to two parents of the same sex.

“This is something that people are often concerned about, but in reality it just isn’t really a problem for these families,” she said. “It’s very clear that other people in the child’s family environment can substitute for a male or a female influence.”

In reaching its conclusion, the American Academy of Pediatrics authors reviewed more than 30 years of scientific research evaluating children raised by gay and lesbian parents.

“There’s no relationship between parents' gender or sexual orientation and their children's well-being,” Perrin said. “Our conclusion is based in the fact that there’s no evidence at all that same-sex marriage harms children in any way.”


soundoff (1,013 Responses)
  1. Fiberglass Van Roof Repair

    Spot on with this write-up, I absolutely believe that this web site needs a lot more attention. Iíll probably be back again to read through more, thanks for the advice!

    http://gnwuxsi3.iqservs.com/yomi-search/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=2573&url=http://ocrvmotorsports.biz/

    June 29, 2021 at 13:34 | Report abuse | Reply
  2. Repair Shop For Mercedes Sprinter Vans

    I like reading a post that can make men and women think. Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!

    http://blog.invisiblecreature.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=ocrvfleetservices.com/

    June 29, 2021 at 20:17 | Report abuse | Reply
  3. where can I buy delta 8

    I really liked your blog article.Much thanks again. Fantastic.

    https://bit.ly/3dobJVs

    June 29, 2021 at 21:20 | Report abuse | Reply
  4. RV Repair Shops Near Me

    https://dspk.kindredplc.com/redirect.aspx?pid=3789659&bid=25820&redirectUrl=https://rvcollisionrepairpaintshop.com

    June 29, 2021 at 23:51 | Report abuse | Reply
  5. Camper Repair Places Near Me

    https://www.capitalcomvoce.com.br/includes/destaque.php?go=1584805363&url=https://ocrv.org

    June 30, 2021 at 00:30 | Report abuse | Reply
  6. RV Repair Shop Near My Location

    Hi, There's no doubt that your blog could possibly be having web browser compatibility issues. Whenever I take a look at your web site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it's got some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Aside from that, excellent blog!

    https://www.lake-link.com/_redirect/track.cfm?BusinessID=606&clickSource=SnowReports&goToPage=https://ocrvandtrucks.com/

    June 30, 2021 at 00:30 | Report abuse | Reply
  7. Restoration Shop

    This site was... how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I've found something which helped me. Appreciate it!

    https://www.sougoseo.com/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=847&url=https://www.customcampervans.com/

    June 30, 2021 at 03:02 | Report abuse | Reply
  8. Sprinter Repair Costa Mesa

    I seriously love your site.. Pleasant colors & theme. Did you develop this website yourself? Please reply back as Iím looking to create my very own website and want to know where you got this from or exactly what the theme is called. Thank you!

    https://triathlon.org/?URL=https://www.ocrvmotorsports.com

    June 30, 2021 at 05:00 | Report abuse | Reply
  9. Sprinter Repair Near Me

    Hello, I do think your web site could be having browser compatibility issues. When I take a look at your website in Safari, it looks fine however, if opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Aside from that, fantastic website!

    http://hammer.x0.to/cgi/search/rank.cgi?mode=link&id=6289&url=https://www.ocrvcenter.org

    June 30, 2021 at 06:46 | Report abuse | Reply
  10. Rv Restoration Shop

    Good day! I could have sworn Iíve been to this blog before but after looking at a few of the posts I realized itís new to me. Anyways, Iím definitely pleased I stumbled upon it and Iíll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!

    https://4men.news/bitrix/rk.php?goto=http://fleetservicerepairshop.com/

    June 30, 2021 at 09:44 | Report abuse | Reply
  11. Nearby RV Repairs

    http://www.2olega.ru/go?https://rvmarketingexperts.com

    June 30, 2021 at 10:26 | Report abuse | Reply
  12. RV Repair Shops Near My Location

    http://novalogic.com/remote.asp?NLink=https://www.ocrv.life

    June 30, 2021 at 12:53 | Report abuse | Reply
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Leave a Reply to SEO Marketing Agencies


 

CNN welcomes a lively and courteous discussion as long as you follow the Rules of Conduct set forth in our Terms of Service. Comments are not pre-screened before they post. You agree that anything you post may be used, along with your name and profile picture, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the license you have granted pursuant to our Terms of Service.

Advertisement
About this blog

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.