I wanted to revisit some of the research indicating homosexual parenting is as good as or better than the male/female/biological/paradigm.
I'll use
this study by dr's gartrell and bos. Their research was highlighted in this
Time article. Here it is again in
live science. Hell, even the
usnews reported it. It must be true, right?
Well, I was able to find the site for this study by on this
website. I appreciate that because it often difficult to see this type of research material without paying for it.
154 lesbian women in 84 families (70 birth mothers, 70 co mothers, 14 single women) enrolled in this study from flyers placed in areas that were frequented by lesbians. Over the course of the study, some 25 years, some participants dropped out, decided against staying in the study. Some 56% of the lesbian participants separated during the course of the study. Something like 70% of them shared custody of the offspring. The rest did not. All of the lesbian participants conceived thu invitro. Very little information was offered for the control group (heterosexual groups. Most of the information available for them was discerned from a chart.
Conclusion of study.
According to the authors of this study the offspring of the lesbians were "well adusted, demonstrating more competencies and fewer behavioral problems than their peers in the normative american population.
Financial support thefor this study;
the gill foundation, the lesbian health fund of the gay lesbian medical, horizons foundation, and the roy scrivner foundation.
Authors of the study.
Nanette gartrell. Dr gartrell is married to lesbian feminist activist and filmmaker
dee mosbacher.
Dr. henny bos is the other dr involved in the study.
Problems I have with the study.
The control group (heteros) were from several parts of the country. The lesbian groups were primarily from cities in the northeast and west. Whites comprised over 90% of the lesbians in this study. Whites comprised only 70% of the hetero group. Is this important? Yes!
This study was conducted by, administered by, financed by, lesbians. Is this proof of bias? No. On the other hand it's not unreasonable to suggest bias could certainly be a factor. Researchers often go to great length to remove all possibility of bias in studies in order to insure their validity. In this case I see little to suggest they addressed this issue at all.
The lesbian participants were self-selected. I'll give you a comparison. When polls are put on tv shows, in newspapers, and such asking for opinions they are presented as "unscientific polls." This is because the participants often have "motives" to participate. This is often construed as "bias." In "scientific polls" the participants are selected. This minimizes the chances of bias.
Are the conclusions of this study valid? Do lesbian couples and
singles raise children as well
or better than hetero couples and
singles ? I don't know. I do know
this particular study has enough flaws in it to call these conclusions into doubt. Before you read this and, hopefully, read the study yourself you couldn't tell by the times, usnews, and live science articles.
What does this say about the other studies? Nothing. Are the other studies valid? I don't know. Unless you know the particulars you don't know either. Does this mean you cannot trust any scientific studies, don't be silly. What this does mean is people need to be sceptical. People need to understand the "latest" and "greatest" study is just that, the latest. Science is an ongoing process. It never stops. Science is the search for facts, not truth. Science also works much better when free of politics.
What does this say about the other studies? Nothing. Are the other studies valid? I don't know. Unless you know the particulars you don't know either. I can tell you this is one of several recent studies that stand in stark contrast to the hundreds and hundeds of studies of the past several decades that indicate the male/female/monogamous paradigm produce the most consistantly well adjusted children extent. That and the intense political pressures that are beginning to be brought to bear. Science works best when politics aren't involved.
Does this mean you cannot trust any scientific studies, don't be silly. What this does mean is people need to be sceptical. People need to understand the "latest" and "greatest" study is just that, the latest. Science is an ongoing process. It never stops. Science is the search for facts, not truth.
Some of the stuff being said in this thread is pushing the boundaries of the rules. That ends now. Talk about the topic, talk about it civilly, and don't talk about other posters. If you cannot handle this, either don't post or don't be surprised at your infractions.