Annotated Bibliography

Should Same Sex Marriages be allowed to Adopt Children?

Bassem Yacoub
Ms. Bristow
HSB 4U
American Academy of Pediatrics:
Ellen C. Perrin http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/109/2/341.short
Perrin, E. (n.d.). Technical Report: Coparent or Second-Parent Adoption by Same-Sex Parents.
Technical Report: Coparent or Second-Parent Adoption by Same-Sex Parents. Retrieved May 14,
2014, from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/109/2/341.short

Ellen Perrins point of view in this article shows the body of scientific literature that
demonstrates that children who grow up with either one or two gay or lesbian parents are almost
the same in emotional, social, and sexual functioning as those with heterosexual parents. She
talks about how childrens development is more influenced by how relationships and interactions
in their families are made. Rather than the specific sexual orientation of their parents or those
around them. This shows that weather or not your parents are gay, all children are raised equally
alike. It shows the many different aspects that can be studied in parenting when differentiating
between a homo or heterosexual parent.

Families in Society: Scott
D. Ryan
http://alliance1.metapress.com/content/g3636627367r424h/
Ryan, S. D. (n.d.). Examining Social Workers' Placement Recommendations of Children with
Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents - Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social
Services - Volume 81, Number 5 / 2000 - Alliance for Children and Families. Examining Social
Workers' Placement Recommendations of Children with Gay and Lesbian Adoptive Parents -
Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services - Volume 81, Number 5 /
2000 - Alliance for Children and Families. Retrieved May 14, 2014, from
http://alliance1.metapress.com/content/g3636627367r424h/

In this article, author Scott D. Ryan from the School of Social Work in the Florida State
University writes about the thousands of children that are waiting for placement with adoptive
families in America. He speaks of how adoption agencies are slowly changing with accepting gay
men and lesbian adoptive parents. This way the decision making methods used by child
placement agencies are most likely wrong to judge homosexual couples. It shows how this
decision making model does not effectively take into consider the impact of social workers,
specialization factors and attitudes when placing children with adoptive parents. The current
theoretical model used for determining child placements is carefully examined in this article.
Placement is looked at from a social constructionist point of view. A path analysis is used to
determine child placement.






Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents: Charlotte
J. Patterson
http://cdp.sagepub.com/content/15/5/241.short
Peterson, C. (n.d.). Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents. Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents.
Retrieved May 15, 2014, from http://cdp.sagepub.com/content/15/5/241.short

Here, author Charlotte Patterson explores does parental sexual orientation affect child
development and if so, how? Studies have been completed based on samples drawn from
populations, convenience samples, and large population samples, they all come to similar
conclusions in the end. Over two decades of research failed to show any important differences in
the development or growth of children raised by gay or lesbian couples, in comparison to those
raised by straight couples. This article talks about how the quality of family relationships are
more likely to be linked with the child sexual orientation rather than the parental sexual
orientation.

Adoption Agency Perspectives on Lesbian and Gay Prospective Parents: David
M. Brodzinsky
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J145v05n03_02#.U3wFrfldUdc
Brodzinsky, D. (n.d.). Adoption Agency Perspectives on Lesbian and Gay Prospective Parents.
Taylor & Francis. Retrieved May 14, 2014, from
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J145v05n03_02#.U3wFrfldUdc

Author David Brodzinsky here explains the opinion coming from adoption agencies. Brodzinsky
speaks of a nationwide survey that was conducted of adoption agencies that studied their
policies, and attitudes in regard to same sex couple adoptive parents. After they received over
two hundred questionnaires (which was only 26 percent of what they sent out), Sixty three
percent showed that their agency did in fact accept applications from gay and lesbian indivifuals
and almost thirty eight percent showed that their adoption agency has had made at least one
adoption with a lesbian or gay adult. Attitudes from agencies regarding adoption by gay and
lesbian individuals varies in relation to their religious views. In conclusion their results show that
policies, and attitudes vary from every agency. Many agencies are willing to place with lesbian
or gay parents and a few even have some experience from doing it before.

Gender Gaps in Public Opinion about Lesbians and Gay Men:
Gregory M. Herek
http://poq.oxfordjournals.org/content/66/1/40.short
Herek, G. (n.d.). Public Opinion Quarterly. Gender Gaps in Public Opinion about Lesbians and
Gay Men. Retrieved May 14, 2014, from http://poq.oxfordjournals.org/content/66/1/40.short

This article, written by Gregory M. Herek shows and examines gender gaps in heterosexuals
attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. Herek here speaks of the significant difference between
attitudes towards lesbian and attitudes toward gay men. Significant differences were found
between male and female heterosexual people, and their attitudes between lesbian and gay
people. The people who participated in the survey put down that they are more likely to see gay
men as mentally ill, but supported adoption rights for lesbians more than for gay men. They had
a bad reaction to gay men and good one with lesbian women. Heterosexual women were more
supportive than men in willing to give employment protection and adoption rights to gay people.
They were also more willing to extend employee benefits to gay couples and less likely to hold
any stearotypes against gay people. The biggest gender difference was the fact that straight men
were stearotypical to gay mean. From all studies shown, straight men were the least supportive of
same sex relationships and adoption rights for gay men. Straight men were more likely to believe
that gay men have mental illness and are more likely to molest children. These mens responses
showed that their attitudes toward lesbians and gay men were very different. Differentiating
lesbians from gay men in a huge way when it comes to attitudes.

Public Adoption by Gay and Lesbian Parents in North Carolina:
Gail N. Kenyon
http://alliance1.metapress.com/content/y4645656701v61w5/
Kenyon, G. (n.d.). Public Adoption by Gay and Lesbian Parents in North Carolina: Policy and
Practice - Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services - Volume 84,
Number 4 / 2003 - Alliance for Children and Families. Public Adoption by Gay and Lesbian
Parents in North Carolina: Policy and Practice - Families in Society: The Journal of
Contemporary Social Services - Volume 84, Number 4 / 2003 - Alliance for Children and
Families. Retrieved May 14, 2014, from
http://alliance1.metapress.com/content/y4645656701v61w5/

In this article, author Grail Kenyon and supporting authors showed policies related to adoption
from gay and lesbian parents in North Carolina, USA. They review literature showing the
changing definition of family/ impact of sexual orientation. They show the development of
children and review federal legislation and adoption policy in that state. Workers in a county
department of social service were interviewed. The outcome shows that they have a lack of actual
clear policy and lack of protection from stereotyping and discrimination which made it very hard
for same sex couples to adopt children within that state.
Gay-Straight Alliances in High Schools Social Predictors of Early Adoption:
Tina Fetner
http://yas.sagepub.com/content/40/1/114.short
Fetner, T. (n.d.). Gay-Straight Alliances in High Schools. Gay-Straight Alliances in High
Schools. Retrieved May 14, 2014, from http://yas.sagepub.com/content/40/1/114.short

This article written by Tina Fetner shows the patterns of gay straight alliances in public high
schools in America. These clubs offer a safe space where people can activate and support lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and also straight students. They can safely chat and discuss
pressing issues within the LGBT community. Using data from various public schools and laws in
their state, Fetner researches how these groups are likely to form, and their social barriers. Using
logistic regression a number of characteristics among those schools isolate and found the first
wave of gay straight alliances. The location of schools, country and groups outside high schools
all promoted gay straight alliances in public schools all across North America.
Gay Men and Lesbians as Adoptive Parents Gerald
P. Mallon
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J041v11n04_01#.U34PZPldUdc
Mallon, G. (n.d.). Gay Men and Lesbians as Adoptive Parents. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved May
14, 2014, from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J041v11n04_01#.U34PZPldUdc

In this article written by author Gerald Mallon shows adoption from gay men and lesbians, and
how this is not a new concept at all. He shows that children have always been placed by public
agencies in homes with lesbian and gay parents. Weather it is from an agency or privately
adopted from arrangements with individual birth mothers, this article shows research on
literature case examples and interviews discussing the issues of gay and lesbian adoptive
parenting. This is all within the within the adoption and safe families act of 1997. The artlicle
also presents a policy of gay men and women as adoptive parents to inform welfare policies and
new programs.