Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Family Psychology: A Systemic, Life‐Cycle Perspective

Abstract

A systemic approach recognizes that individuals are influenced by their families, friends, communities, and workplaces, as well as broader societal institutions and ideologies (Whitechurch & Constantine, 1993; see Chapter 1, this volume). Individuals exist within, are shaped by, and interact with multiple intersecting contexts. Further, these interactions necessarily shift throughout the life cycle as individuals develop, form relationships, and create their own families and communities. A systemic approach is particularly useful in the study of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, whose lives and relationships are increasingly visible in society, and yet who continue to be vulnerable to discrimination in many settings (Herek, 2006). This chapter will discuss research on various aspects of LGB people's experiences (coming out, relationship maintenance, the transition to parenthood, and parenting) with special attention to the experiences and contexts, broadly defined, that shape LGB families' development over time. Coming Out and DisclosureA process that is unique to the life experience and life cycle of sexual minorities is the process of coming out; or, the process of accepting and disclosing one's sexual orientation to oneself and others. According to the Cass model (1979), individuals move from confusion regarding their feelings of same-sex attraction, to acceptance and tolerance of their sexual orientation, to experiencing a sense of pride and synthesis of their LGB identity. While the coming-out process was initially conceived of as a series of linear and The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Family Psychology Edited by James H. Bray and Mark Stanton

Stigma Experiences, Mental Health, Perceived Parenting Competence, and Parent–Child Relationships Among Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Adoptive Parents in the United States

“…), including LG adoptive parent families (Lamb, 2012;Farr, 2017). Even so, in the US, adoptive parents often face stigma (e.g., concerns about parenting ability; Miall, 1987) related to "non-traditional" family structures (i.e., differing from married heterosexual parents with biologically related children), and LG adoptive parents often face additional stigma based on sexual identity (Goldberg, 2009;Herek, 2010;Goldberg and Smith, 2014;Lo et al, 2019). For example, the question of whether samegender couples could raise children as effectively as do differentgender couples was a central debate in the ruling for marriage equality in the US, a ruling that held important legal implications about whether (married) same-gender couples could jointly adopt children (American Psychological Association [APA], 2015;Obergefell v. Hodges, 135 S. Ct. 2584, 2015.…”

Graduate education in couple and family psychology.

“…The systemic epistemology of CFP may facilitate an exploration of diversity issues because systems theory avoids the extreme individualism of Western ideology and recognizes dynamic processes and systemic functioning in social relations (Patterson & Sexton, 2013). Students need to be exposed to the extensive CFP literature on various aspects of diversity, including ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual identity, physical ability, religion, and socioeconomic status (Boyd-Franklin & Karger, 2012;Falicov, 2012Falicov, , 2013Goldberg, 2009;McGoldrick, Giordano, & Garcia-Preto, 2005), as well as to critiques of Eurocentric assumptions or foci and to alternative CFP models that pay attention to differences in worldviews or values, power dynamics, context of experience, and perceived distance (Kelly, Bhagwat, Maynigo, & Moses, 2014). Entry-level skill development may focus on individual and cultural differences in the establishment of the therapeutic alliance, culturally centered assessment, selection of culturally appropriate interventions, and inculcation of a culturally centered perspective that recognizes the need for continued openness to personal development in multiculturalism (Stanton & Welsh, 2011).…”

A Review and Critique of Research on Same-Sex Parenting and Adoption

“…Goldberg (2009) argued that “turning to child outcomes, children of LGB parents do not appear to differ from children of heterosexual parents in terms of self-esteem, depression, behavioral problems, or social functioning” (p. 583). Riggs, McLaren, and Mayes (2009) concluded that “Studies have found that there may well be benefits for children raised in lesbian- or gay parent households …” (p. 52).…”

“…(2003, p. 30) reported that at least one son of a single lesbian mother had a very atypically feminine score that had, apparently as an outlier, reduced the overall score on the Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI) gender role average for single lesbian mothers, a result that seems more like gender identity confusion, if not reversal, than gender flexibility, as labeled by Biblarz and Stacey (2010). Kuvalanka and Goldberg (2009) studied a subset of 18 LGBT children from among 78 adult children from LGBT families, all of whom had lesbian parents; of these, 4 were gender-queer (3) or gender ambiguous (1), quite possibly an indication of gender identity confusion or ambiguity.…”

“…Tan and Baggerly (2009) found that their 24 lesbian mothers most often had graduate degrees (75%), were employed full (58%) or part (25%) time, and most (71%) had annual incomes of $90,000 or more. Downing, Richardson, Kinkler, and Goldberg (2009) interviewed 32 gay male couples who were considering adoption and found their average annual income to be $173,153 while 47% had graduate degrees. Averett et al.…”