Stereotypes in Hollywood of gay and lesbian couples have a great impact on how society views these couples. According to Hollywood, gay men act more like women and lesbians act more like men. This, of course, is both improbable and unjustified. There are plenty of “manly” men who are gay and “lady-like” women who are lesbians. Societies view of gays and lesbians can bring about questions regarding child gender choice in adoption.
Should Lesbians Parent Girls or Boy?
If Hollywood were there to make the rules, all lesbian couples would parent boys. Lesbians are depicted as having more male characteristics than female and thus would be more apt to raise a developmentally successful male child. Again, these statements are based on society’s public idea or depiction of lesbians. The fact is, the gender of a child raised by a lesbian couple is not chosen based upon the characteristics offered by Hollywood. Lesbian parents have raised both girl and boy children successfully for many years.
There is more research involving lesbian couples raising both boy and girl children because lesbians can choose to mother their own children in lieu of adoption. Pregnancy is a 50/50 chance at having either a boy or a girl. Gay men, however, do not have the choice of mothering their own children. If a surrogate is used the same 50/50 chance is taken, but adoption opens the door to child gender choice.
Gay Parenting and Child Gender
Again, falling back to Hollywood, gay couples are depicted as being more likely to choose a female child. With so few gay couples used on television and in movies, however, the pool of societal depiction is quite small. According to clinical research, gay parenting is successful if the household is nurturing and supportive of all children – no matter the gender.
Does Gender Really Matter?
The same question can be asked of heterosexual parents. If dad is a “manly” man that plays professional sports and chooses the “manliest” outdoor activities, should he only be allowed to raise male children? Parenting is about support, not about hobbies, professions and sexual choices. Gay men can raise both female and male children equally as can lesbian couples.
Science does not lend any support to gender selection based upon parent gender. Gay couples have adopted both male and female children, as have lesbian couples. The outcome of parenting is based on many factors, none of which includes parent gender.