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Family: Same
Sex
Parenting

By: Michelle Aguirre

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What is a Family

A husband, a wife, and two children, maybe even a pet; has

served as the model for a traditional American family for most of
the 20th century.

Sociologist define Family as a socially recognized group( usually

joined by blood, marriage, or adoption) that forms an emotional
connection and severs as an economic unit of society.

A family of orientation refers to the family into which a person

is born

A family of procreation describes one that is formed through

marriage.

Family is viewed as a primary group. It is where we being our

socialization, learn about values, norms, and morals.

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Marriage

Marriage is a legally recognized social contract between

two people, traditionally based on a sexual relationship
and implying a permanence of the union.

Over the years marriage has changed given the demands

of contemporary society. In practicing cultural relativism,
we should also consider variations, such as whether a
legal union is required, or whether more than two people
can be involved.

Other variations on the definition of marriage might

include whether spouses are of the opposite sexes or the
same sex, and how one of the traditional expectations of
marriage (to produce children) is understood today.

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What is Same- Sex Marriage ?

A marriage between two people of the same sex.

It the most influential reason against same- sex

marriage is based on religion

In early times, same-sex marriage was considered a

taboo

Most people believe that it is an unnatural lifestyle,

while others believe that love is love and it should be
equal

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How common is Same- Sex
parenting ?

There are approximately 1 million gay families raising

approximately 2 million children in the United States. It
is hard to know the exact numbers because census
data does not count same sex families.

Same sex families have the highest population

percentages in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York
City, Chicago, and Boston, but theyre not only in the
coasts or in the major urban centers. Utah, Hawaii,
Wyoming, and Nevada all rank in the top ten states
with the largest number of same sex spouses.

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Child Behavioral

Gary Gates concludes that same-sex couples are as good at parenting

as different-sex couples. Any differences in the well being of children
raised in same-sex and different sex families can be explained not
only by parents gender composition but by the fact that children
being raised same- sex couples have on average experienced more
instability, because most children being raised by same- sex couples
were born to different- sex parents, one whom is now in a same sexrelationship.

The U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS), followed

the children of 154 lesbian mothers over 25 years, reported that their
teens had fewer behavioral problems and better school performance
than their peers with straight parents.

The bottom line is that we are parents first, and that creates a
common ground. Bedtime, bath-time, playground, homework: we all
speak the same language

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Disadvantages of Being a
Same-Sex Parent

Same sex couples face disadvantages one being

religious disadvantages. For example, Denise Freeman
DeCandia and her partner Cari DeCandia, were both
raised Christian and value their faith. When Denise
have birth to their son, Cortland, it was important to
them and their families to have him baptized. They
began looking for liberal denominations near their
home and have asked 4 churches to baptize their son,
and received refusals from all of them. One reverend
wrote Cari, Wed be delighted to have visit us but
unfortunately I would find it impossible to baptize a
child being raised in a same- sex partnership.

+ Why Bring A Child Into This World Why

You Know They Will Have Challenges?
Children being raised in a same-sex partnership have no more
difficulties than any other child. All kids get teased and as a parent
its their job to help them deal with hardship. All parents have the
same issues.

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Functionalist Perspective

According to functionalist marriage and family are

necessary for the contribution of society.

Functionalist argue that it supports the status quo at

the expense of exploring of new definitions of family
and marriage.

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Conflict Perspective

According to functionalist, social norms exist to

preserve social institutions and maintain stability within
society, homosexuality violates these norms.

The conflict theory explores the tensions and

differences in interests and power among existing
groups. People who hold power are able to see their
view of society as appropriate and they have the power
to see that their concept of reality is enforced.

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RESOURCES

Gates, Gary J. "Marriage And Family: LGBT Individuals And Same-Sex

Couples." Future Of Children 25.2 (2015): 67-87. ERIC. Web. 25 July
2016.

Goldberg, Abbie E., and Randi L. Garcia. "Gender-Typed Behavior Over

Time In Children With Lesbian, Gay, And Heterosexual Parents." Journal
Of Family Psychology (2016): PsycARTICLES. Web. 18 July 2016.

ONDERKO, PATTY. "The (Same-Sex) Family Next Door." Parenting School

Years 25.2 (2011): 62-65. Consumer Health Complete - EBSCOhost. Web.
25 July 2016.

Pennington, Jarred, and Tess Knight. "Through The Lens Of HeteroNormative Assumptions: Re-Thinking Attitudes Towards Gay Parenting."
Culture, Health & Sexuality 13.1 (2011): 59-72. MEDLINE. Web. 18 July
2016.

http://dmc122011.delmar.edu/socsci/rlong/problems/chap-10.htm