From: rlc1028@zeus.tamu.edu  
Subject: Homsexuals rasing children(question) ... a followup
Organization: TAMU
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 17:58:00 GMT

In article <1992Nov8.045344.5979@meaddata.com>, king@meaddata.com (Mike King) writes...

|I consider myself pretty open minded.  I have known many homosexuals
|and have never had a problem.  My motto is pretty much live and let
|live.  But I'm a little concerned about the notion of homosexuals
|raising children(i.e. same gender parents).  I was wondering if
|somebody could provide me with information that could remove my concerns.

	Thank you for being open about this issue.

|Do homosexual relationships have the long-term stability necessary to
|raise children?

	Some do.  Others do not.  I think that if an hmosexual (or
heterosexual) couple were being considered for adoption, they should
show proof of being together for some period of time.  However, this
may be difficult for some couples who have kept their union secret
even if living together for many years.  


|Are "children" of homosexual parents ostrisized by the other children?
|If so, how do the parents deal with it?

	While adults who don't like homosexuality tend to treat it
more heavily that other prejudices (like race, sometimes), children
don't, on average.  
	I would expect, therefore, a child to receive some flak
from other kids in school for a while, but not more than might come to
a child of an interracial marraige.  Then again, it is up to parents to
teach their kids how to deal with such prejudices... this includes the
gay parents as well as the straight ones.  
	Here at A&M, we do panel discussions, informing students about
gay issues.  Usually, the audience agrees that it is there responsibility 
to teach their kids (when they have them) not to shun kids of gay families. 
It was surprising to me when we first started getting those kinds of 
results from straight people, but it's happening.

	It always helps to remind the straight parents that for 5 to 10% of 
them, their kids will be gay.


|Do the "children" grow up normal?  And no, by normal I don't mean
|heterosexual.  In other words, do they have any emotional problems or
|problems with relationships?

	In the few cases I've heard of, no.  They tend to grow up 
heterosexual, and also tend to have more practical senses of values
instilled in them by experience.  I tend to think that if sexuality or
emotional states are indeed a result of environment, that it is in a
way much more subtle than things like direct role models.  I mean,
emotional problems usually are found in homes with abusive parents.
Homosexual children are usually found in homes with heterosexual
parents.  It's really not an easy question to answer.


|No joke, these are sincere questions.  I was hoping somebody/anybody
|could give me some answers to them.  Thanks.

	Thanks again for your interest.

Bud Cox
Texas A&M University

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