Same Sex Parents Held to a Higher Standard of Parenting

by Carolyn Buchanan on March 26, 2013
author Carolyn  Buchanan

Carolyn Buchanan

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Same-sex Parents

Same-sex couples with kids are a lot more "out" in the world these days. Yet despite their increasing numbers and presence, and what appears to be a growing acceptance on the part of the heterosexual world, many are feeling subtle biases against them, even from those who profess support. Is the prejudice real or imagined? Researchers at the University of Binghamton, New York set up a research project to find out.

The results of their new study, published in the Journal of GLBT Family Studies, finds that same-sex parents are indeed judged more harshly than opposite-sex couples.

Undergraduate participants were asked to "evaluate" a vignette. The scene of judgment: a restaurant setting where children are misbehaving. In the first scene, two parents who display affection for each other are sitting with a four-year-old boy, who when served, throws his food and screams. One of the parents attempts to calm him down by speaking to him and eventually gets him to eat on his own.

The second restaurant scene involves a couple who show affection for each other in the same way. They, too, are with a four-year-old boy. When he's served he throws food and shrieks. One parent gets angry with the boy, smacks his hand and yells at him. The child cries and carries on, but eventually he does settle down and eat.

The two scenes are replayed with lesbian, gay, and opposite-sex parents. Following the scenes, participants filled out a questionnaire rating the parenting style of the various players. The results showed a clear pattern of negative reactions to the same-sex parents engaging in exact same negative parenting behavior as a straight couple.

The study concluded: "Although overt and hostile prejudice may indeed be diminishing, modern, subtle prejudice continues to affect the lives of lesbians, gay men, and their families. Prejudicial judgments, however subtle, that serve to limit access of these families to potential support and resources, ultimately harm today's youths."

Do you think people are generally aware of their prejudices? Have you observed people who think they're unbiased, show prejudice towards gay parents? Was it subtle or overt?

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