PSY 3123 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Sperm Donation, Egg Donation, Child Custody
28 Apr 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
February 28, 2018
Same-Sex Families
APA (2006)
“The adjustment, development, and psychological well-being of children is unrelated to parental sexual orientation…
children of lesbian and gay parents are as likely as those of heterosexual parents to flourish”
Some Canadian History
LGBT parents in Canada have undergone significant progress in terms of both legal and social acceptance
Same-sex couples who wish for parenthood now enjoy equally the possibilities, responsibilities, and rights of
opposite-sex couples
Following the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005, the number of LGBT families in Canada has
increased substantially
2016: Ontario adopted the All Families Are Equal Act, which ensures that couples who use sperm donors or a
surrogate are legally recognized as parents (they no longer have to adopt their child)
Canadian Statistics: 2016 Census
72,880 same-sex couples in Canada in 2016, representing 0.9% of all couples
~1/8 same-sex couples (12.0%) had children living with them in 2016, compared with about half of opposite-sex
couples (4/5 of them were female couples)
10,020 children aged 0-14 were living in a family with same-sex parents
-About half of these parents were married, although more male parent couples (59.8%) than female parent couples
(59.7%) were married
Tends to be two types of same-sex couples with children:
-Same-sex couples who intend to have children
-“Ex-heterosexual” couples who had children while in a heterosexual relationships
Some Data
Sexual identities (including gender identity, gender-role behaviour, and sexual orientation) develop in much the same
ways among children of lesbian mothers as they do among children of heterosexual parents
Studies of other aspects of personal development (including personality, self-concept, and conduct) similarly revel
few differences between children of lesbian mothers and children of heterosexual parents
-However, few data regarding these concerns are available for children of gay fathers
Evidence also suggests that children of lesbian and gay parents have normal social relationships with peers and
adults
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Document Summary
The adjustment, development, and psychological well-being of children is unrelated to parental sexual orientation children of lesbian and gay parents are as likely as those of heterosexual parents to ourish . Lgbt parents in canada have undergone signi cant progress in terms of both legal and social acceptance. Same-sex couples who wish for parenthood now enjoy equally the possibilities, responsibilities, and rights of opposite-sex couples. Following the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005, the number of lgbt families in canada has increased substantially. 2016: ontario adopted the all families are equal act, which ensures that couples who use sperm donors or a surrogate are legally recognized as parents (they no longer have to adopt their child) 72,880 same-sex couples in canada in 2016, representing 0. 9% of all couples. ~1/8 same-sex couples (12. 0%) had children living with them in 2016, compared with about half of opposite-sex couples (4/5 of them were female couples)
