Children with lesbian parents tend to be academically able and socially well-adjusted, so says groundbreaking new scientific research from the United States. Adolescents with Lesbian Mothers Describe Their Own Lives took 26 years to complete and is the longest study of its kind ever to be conducted. It successfully analysed hundreds of American high school students who were being brought up by lesbians and found the vast majority of them to have high Grade Point Averages (GPAs) and lots of friends.
Almost all of the students were planning to go to university after their SATs to pursue four-year degrees. The teens reported powerful and loving family ties and regarded their lesbian mothers as positive role models. Few had any qualms about telling their straight friends about their home circumstances or indeed introducing their straight friends to their parents.
The Principal Investigator on the study, Dr Nanette Gartrell of UCLA School of Law, said, ‘These kids were planned and their lesbian mothers were very engaged in parenting. At the end of high school, the teens tell us that they have excellent grades, feel connected to their families and friends, and admire their parents. As a psychiatrist, I can say that these are the types of childrearing outcomes that every parent hopes for.’
Commentators such as Laura Beck believe that the conclusive findings within Adolescents with Lesbian Mothers Describe Their Own Lives will, once and for all, put to bed the prejudices that many conservative Americans have against lesbian parenting. She hopes that it will challenge people who are ‘scared that gay people are going to sneak in their windows in the middle of the night and force marriage onto them. Also, let them know that nobody wants to marry their bigoted asses, anyway.’
