Arielsarai Laroche
Response Piece #3
Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents
In the article, “Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents”, Charlotte J. Patterson discusses the
study she conducted on whether or not a parent’s sexual orientation has an important
impact on child or adolescent development. The first part of the study was based on
samples drawn from known populations; the second part of the study was based on
representative samples. Patterson collaborated with the Sperm Bank of California on first
part of the study. The population they performed this study on was fixed. “The Sperm
Bank of California allowed a sample in which, both for lesbian and for heterosexual
groups, one parent was biologically related to the child and one was not”(Patterson, pg3).
Results from this part of the study showed that parental sexual orientation was not related
to children’s adaptation. The second part of the study was conducted on a more diverse
population and got the same results. The conclusion of the study as a whole is that there is
no evidence that sexual orientation has an effect of child development. “The findings show
that parental sexual orientation is less important than the family relationship”. (Patterson,
pg4)
In class we discussed sexuality and gender and whether or not there is a difference in
adjustment if homosexual parents rather than heterosexual parents raise them? The article
answers that question by proving that they are both equally well adjusted. If anything,
children of homosexuals are more accepting of homosexuality and are not more likely to
