Large bodies of literature reveal two salient experiences during adolescence and young adulthood for many men who identify as gay and bisexual: disclosing one's sexual identity to parents and going to college. Research suggests the reaction of one's parents to sexual identity disclosure serves as a powerful indicator of subsequent health-related…

Sexual identity development is a central task of adolescence and young adulthood and can be especially challenging for sexual minority youth. Recent research has moved from a stage model of identity development in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth to examining identity in a non-linear, multidimensional manner. In addition, although families…

Research on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth with LGBTQ parents is absent in the social science literature. The present qualitative, exploratory study utilized a social constructionist and queer theoretical lens through which to explore the sexual/gender identity formation and disclosure experiences…

In recent years, social scientists have identified not just heterosexism and homophobia as social problems, but also heteronormativity--the mundane, everyday ways that heterosexuality is privileged and taken for granted as normal and natural. There is little empirical research, however, on how heterosexuality is reproduced and then normalized for…

This study focused on the experiences of parents of gender-variant children and teens. The goal was to document issues faced by parents of kids with childhood gender-variant behaviors and/or gender-variant identity and to compile their wisdom. Telephone interviews were conducted with 43 parents of 31 youth (all who met the DSM criteria for Gender…

The etiology of homosexuality is probably best explained from a multidimensional framework which takes into account socialization, family background, and individual developmental factors. A research review was conducted to examine the influence of parental characteristics in the etiology of homosexuality. The findings of the review support the…

Found the book a thoughtful, articulate, well-written, and informative work that powerfully challenges traditional thinking about the suitability of gays and lesbians to raise children. Successfully completes the goal of writing a book for and about both lesbian mothers and gay fathers, as well as serving as a valuable resource to child welfare…

Opponents of the legal recognition of homosexual unions have based their arguments in part on the premise that children brought up by parents of the same sex face significant social and psychological disadvantages. Presenting a longitudinal study of 25 children raised in lesbian mother families, and a comparison group raised by single heterosexual…

Intended to help parents find the words they need to talk to their children and answer their children's practical questions, this book offers practical guidance on a wide range of life's experiences, from family changes such as divorce and remarriage, to controversial subjects such as child abuse and AIDS. The major focus is on children ages 4 to…