Should Homosexual Parents Adopt Children?

Homosexual issues are always controversial in society nowadays. As more and more minorities ask for liberty and equality in society, homosexual people also follow the trend and fight for their right. However, from a sociological perspective, the widespread homophobia is the leading cause of denouncing the legality of homosexuals. In many countries, it is still illegal for homosexuals to get married and adopt children. In my personal opinion, homosexuals should not adopt children.

First of all, children raised by gays or lesbians will easily confuse their sexual identity. For instance, in the article, The Sneaky Debate over Legalizing Adoption by Gay Couples, William Saletan raises the issues such as ”Sexual identity confusion is common among children raised by gay parents,” or ”Children of lesbians are less likely to fit traditional gender roles.” Moreover, in the news, New Jersey Court Decision on Gay Parents Adopting Children, many people also appose the law because they think a child has the best chance of developing a healthy sexual and emotional identity if raised by heterosexual parents. These evidences all point out the fact that children raised by homosexuals will be incapable of distinguishing their sexual orientation and the proper behaviors of a specific gender.

Second, children in homosexual families are difficult to build friendship with other people. As a matter of fact, because of widespread homophobia, many people still cannot accept homosexuals. Therefore, if children who are raised by homosexuals, they will easily be discriminated and insulted by other people. What’s worse, because people are not willing to befriend with children raised by homosexuals, these children may easily lose themselves and go astray. For example, in the news, New Jersey Court Decision on Gay Parents Adopting Children, it points out that “Common sense and an overwhelming body of social science data suggest that children raised outside of one-mother, one-father families are more likely to experience problems like drug abuse, depression, poor discipline, and confused sexual identity.”

Third, it is difficult for homosexuals to fit the position of parents capably. Evidence shows in the article, The Sneaky Debate over Legalizing Adoption by Gay Couples, that “There is an increased incidence of suicide, depression, multiple sexual partners and domestic violence in homosexuals compared to the heterosexual population.” As a result, being adopted by homosexuals definitely put children in an awkward situation because there are too many uncertain factors which may lead to unpredictable consequences. On the other hand, homosexual parents seem to be much harder to maintain stable relationship and furthermore, they may have problem in acting properly as a mother and a father, like William Saletan states in his article, The Sneaky Debate over Legalizing Adoption by Gay Couples, “It is hard for a gay couple to sustain the stable relationship,” and,” Children do best when raised by a mother and a father.” Because the same-sex parents may be incapable of providing the love and care of the gender opposite to them, their children will be lack of complete love of both a father and a mother, and this situation will cause bad influence on their personality development.

However, some people believe that homosexuals can also be capable parents and they won’t give bad influence on children, such as Diana Hechavarria says in her article, Family Matters: Gay and Lesbian Adoption,” We need to accept homosexuals are capable parents, and they do not produce dysfunctional behaviors in children, nor detrimentally affect their well being.” Controversially, this statement can not prove the feasibility strongly in homosexuals adopting issues because as a matter of fact, there indeed are a lot of problems in most homosexual families and that is why most people disagree with homosexuals adopting children. Anther statement from Diana’s article,” Research supports that there is no apparent difference in the mental health of children raised by homosexuals,” can also be overthrown. Actually, only a few cases of homosexuals adopting children are positive, but it does not mean these few cases are successful. Even though there is no “apparent difference” in the mental health of children raised by homosexuals within these few cases, there will definitely be some subtle difference and malfunction in the mental health of these children.

To sum up, I agree with most people’s points of view that it is not suitable and capable for homosexual parents to adopt children. What I have discovered about this issue is mostly negative opinions which mean that the feasibility of homosexual parents adopting children should really be questioned and reconsidered.