New Study Suggests That Same-Sex Parents Are Judged More Harshly Than Heterosexual Parents
New study suggests that same-sex parents are judged more harshly than heterosexual parents
BINGHAMTON, NY - Is there a double standard for gay parents? A new study published this month by a Binghamton University research team suggests that gay parents are being judged more harshly than straight parents.
Members of Binghamton University’s Interdisciplinary Research Group for the Study of Sexuality and Gender conducted a study of people’s reactions to the parenting behaviors of gay and straight parents. Their results showed a clear pattern of negative reactions from study participants towards a gay couple engaging in exactly the same negative parenting behaviors as a straight couple.
Research Associate Professor Sean Massey and Instructor Ann Merriwether of Binghamton, and Justin Garcia from The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, published the results of their study earlier this month in the Journal of GLBT Family Studies.
“We noted that when parents displayed favorable parenting behaviors like comforting an upset child, gay and straight parents were judged in a similar, positive manner,” said Massey. “However, if parents got frustrated - raised their voice or slapped their child on the hand, the gay parents were judged more negatively than the straight parents.”
Massey says this marked difference in the study groups’ reactions is significant. While no parent is perfect, the researchers believe that holding gay parents to a different standard adds additional stress to the already stressful job of parenthood. It can also negatively affect their chances of adopting or becoming foster parents.
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2013-03-25 03:24:00 pm