Religious Affiliation, Religiosity, and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Parenting

Abstract

The opening up of marriage to same-sex couples and same-sex parenting are controversial subjects in many countries. This study carried out in France amongst 1861 heterosexual students examined the effects of gender, access option to parenting, religious affiliation (Catholic vs. without religious affiliation participants) and religiosity (in Catholic participants) on attitudes to same-sex parenting. The participants ranged in age from 18 to 66 (M = 22.27, SD = 5.20), 67% were women, 31% described themselves as Catholic and 69%as without religious affiliation. The results based on Generalized Estimating Equation analyses indicate that women were more favorable to same-sex parenting than men, and that participants, whatever their religious affiliation, revealed an attachment to the traditional twoparent families model without medical intervention in reproduction: adoption by same-sex couples was preferred to all other methods of access to parenting, while surrogacy received the lowest support. Moreover, Catholic participants were less favorable to same-sex parenting than participants without religious affiliation, and the reluctance of the former was intensified by a high level of religiosity. Religiosity seems to play a major role in attitudes to same-sex parenting inasmuch as its effect is not moderated by the gender of Catholic participants.

Predictors of Attitudes toward Lesbian and Gay Parenting in an Ecuadorian Sample

“…Research on attitudes toward sexual minorities and minority rights has suggested that education may be a mechanism to promote respect toward diversity and nonconformity; also, it may create higher critical thinking toward socially taught messages about sexual minorities (Ohlander et al, 2005). Regarding religion and religiosity, studies have shown that the frequency of attendance of religious services significantly predict attitudes (Whitehead, 2018;Whitehead & Perry, 2015), because attendance of religious services reinforces traditional views on families, emphasizing the importance of marriage over cohabitation, differentiated gender roles, as well as post-marital conception of children (Gross et al, 2018). Regarding religious affiliation, in a study carried out with French heterosexual students, Gross et al (2018) found that participants from different religious groups preferred more traditional families composed of two different-sex parents than nontraditional families.…”

“…Regarding religion and religiosity, studies have shown that the frequency of attendance of religious services significantly predict attitudes (Whitehead, 2018;Whitehead & Perry, 2015), because attendance of religious services reinforces traditional views on families, emphasizing the importance of marriage over cohabitation, differentiated gender roles, as well as post-marital conception of children (Gross et al, 2018). Regarding religious affiliation, in a study carried out with French heterosexual students, Gross et al (2018) found that participants from different religious groups preferred more traditional families composed of two different-sex parents than nontraditional families. Regardless of gender, catholic participants were less favorable to LG parenting than participants without a religious affiliation.…”

“This is not What God Intended”: Attitudes Toward Adoption by Same-sex Couples in Ecuador

“…Overall, this body of research has found that people experience greater resistance to the idea of gay and lesbian couples adopting children, compared to same-sex behavior, same-sex unions, and marriage (Costa et al, 2013;Takács et al, 2016). Studies have also found that being a man, being older, having less education, being religious, and having a right-wing political ideology are related to negative attitudes towards gay parenting (Gross et al, 2018;Pacilli et al, 2011;Vecho et al, 2019;Webb et al, 2017). Other studies have also linked psychological factors to attitudes, including beliefs about gender roles and sexism, beliefs about the origin of sexual orientation, and the frequency of contact with sexual and gender minorities (Costa & Salinas-Quiroz, 2019;Costa et al, 2015;Frias-Navarro et al, 2015;Pistella et al, 2018;Vecho et al, 2019).…”

Attitudes of Religious People on Marriage and Adoption by LGBs

“…Several surveys also point to the relationship between religion and religiosity and attitudes towards the rights of LGBs. Gross et al (2018), for example, found that in a sample of French heterosexual students, Catholic participants were less favorable to homoparenthood than those without religious affiliations, and the level of religiosity intensifies this rejection. In another French study, the results showed that religiosity plays a moderating role in the association between attitudes and political orientation and sexual prejudice (Vecho et al, 2016).…”