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Post by malleodei on Nov 6, 2013 13:17:18 GMT -6
There is a new and significant piece of evidence in the social science debate about gay parenting and the unique contributions that mothers and fathers make to their children’s flourishing. A study published last month in the journal, Review of the Economics of the Household, analyzing data from a very large, population-based sample—reveals that the children of gay and lesbian couples are only about 65 percent as likely to have graduated from high school as the children of married, opposite-sex couples. And gender matters, too: girls are more apt to struggle than boys, with daughters of gay parents displaying dramatically low graduation rates. Unlike US-based studies, this one evaluates a 20 percent sample of the Canadian census, where same-sex couples have had access to all taxation and government benefits since 1997 and to marriage since 2005. While in the US Census same-sex households have to be guessed at based on the gender and number of self-reported heads-of-household, young adults in the Canadian census were asked, “Are you the child of a male or female same-sex married or common law couple?” While study author and economist Douglas Allen noted that very many children in Canada who live with a gay or lesbian parent are actually living with a single mother—a finding consonant with that detected in the 2012 New Family Structures Study—he was able to isolate and analyze hundreds of children living with a gay or lesbian couple (either married or in a “common law” relationship akin to cohabitation). So the study is able to compare—side by side—the young-adult children of same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples, as well as children growing up in single-parent homes and other types of households. link.springer.com/journal/11150/11/4/page/1Full study is here: mcadams.posc.mu.edu/blog/gay_parenting.pdf |
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Post by stevec on Nov 6, 2013 15:10:29 GMT -6
I read about this research a few weeks ago, but had nowhere to post a new thread, you know what I mean. I had some questions about the study, but after further thought, I considered what should we do with the study. Aside from feedback to gay parents to do a better job, what would you recommend we do with the results.
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Post by Flitzerbiest on Nov 6, 2013 16:58:29 GMT -6
Pretty good question Steve. I wonder if the US trend regarding adoption holds true in Canada, i.e. that homosexual parents are more likely to adopt special needs children.
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Post by malleodei on Nov 6, 2013 18:36:17 GMT -6
Well, one thing that I think we should do is to recognize the flawed methodology in many of those other studies. Obviously, this one study does not close the book on anything. Even this study seems to indicate that we need to look deeper into the question.
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Post by stevec on Nov 6, 2013 20:19:10 GMT -6
Well, one thing that I think we should do is to recognize the flawed methodology in many of those other studies. Obviously, this one study does not close the book on anything. Even this study seems to indicate that we need to look deeper into the question. Let's say that this study does close the book on gay parenting and education, what conclusions should be drawn, or what's the game plan for dealing with the issue? The article i read had more information than the one you provided, I'll try to find it. |
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Post by showmedot on Nov 6, 2013 21:40:44 GMT -6
Something else I wonder from hearing all the "That's so gay!" and similarly derogatory remarks is how much the lower graduation rate may be influenced by persecution. No student who's miserable in school can succeed, and being gaybashed is just as painful when you are straight but suspect.
After all, everybody knows that kids are recruited into the "homosexual lifestyle," and who better to teach them the tricks than gay parents? Obviously, their kid is gay!
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Post by stevec on Nov 6, 2013 22:51:16 GMT -6
Something else I wonder from hearing all the "That's so gay!" and similarly derogatory remarks is how much the lower graduation rate may be influenced by persecution. No student who's miserable in school can succeed, and being gaybashed is just as painful when you are straight but suspect. After all, everybody knows that kids are recruited into the "homosexual lifestyle," and who better to teach them the tricks than gay parents? Obviously, their kid is gay! I read the full study, and as Malleo stated, It does deal with the issue of all previous studies being seriously flawed - those that claimed there are no differences in child rearing between SSM and opposite sex marriages. My concern is that this study is going to be twisted by fundamentalists to mean something that was not intended by the authors. |
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Post by Flitzerbiest on Nov 7, 2013 8:25:45 GMT -6
My concern is that this study is going to be twisted by fundamentalists to mean something that was intended by the authors. Want to try that sentence again? |
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Post by stevec on Nov 7, 2013 9:02:28 GMT -6
My concern is that this study is going to be twisted by fundamentalists to mean something that was intended by the authors. Want to try that sentence again? Yes, I would. Thank you very much. |
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Post by showmedot on Nov 7, 2013 11:24:33 GMT -6
Yeah, Steve, I agree that I should have prefaced what I said about the possible effect of gaybashing that I was presuming the study to have any reliability.
Besides, even if the study was set up according to best protocol, a single study proves nothing conclusive.
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Post by Flitzerbiest on Nov 7, 2013 11:47:18 GMT -6
Sometimes a single study matters. I don't know if this is one such case. I do know that authors are generally better at pointing out the methodological limitations of someone else's work than their own. My approach to this study would be to follow Steve's lead. What if it is accurate? What should be done with the information? There is a far slipperier slope here than in the genetics thread.
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Post by stevec on Nov 7, 2013 14:16:15 GMT -6
Yeah, Steve, I agree that I should have prefaced what I said about the possible effect of gaybashing that I was presuming the study to have any reliability. Besides, even if the study was set up according to best protocol, a single study proves nothing conclusive. The research acknowledged that Canada has allowed SSM for many years, and presumed that Canada is not as homophobic as the US. The research is out in the public domain, we need to be prepared to deal with with the issues as a consequence. The research is a powerful weapon in the hands of those who believe SS attraction is a sin and against god's plan. |
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Post by Flitzerbiest on Nov 7, 2013 14:30:22 GMT -6
The research is a powerful weapon in the hands of those who believe SS attraction is a sin and against god's plan. Not really, or at least not for purposes other than self-congratulation. It is possible to identify all sorts of demographic sub-groups where the children underperform the average. To which of these are we going to deny children, even if the numbers are conclusive? |
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Post by stevec on Nov 7, 2013 17:04:38 GMT -6
Okay, does anyone know how I can prevent my tablet from inserting words where I don't want to, when I quote someone? It's very frustrating. On my laptop I can press the "Insert" key to solve the problem. The letter "I" seems to be the main culprit, I could be typing away and all of a sudden I'm typing in someone's quote.
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Post by Flitzerbiest on Nov 7, 2013 17:26:01 GMT -6
No clue honestly, other than to say that it sounds like a laptop problem as opposed to a website issue.
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