Children of Same-Sex Couples Turn Out Just Fine

One of the major arguments against same-sex marriage holds children in question: How do the children in these relationships turn out? Well, the scientific community has weighed in.

In a recent study looking at the collective literature on the issue, researchers led by associate professor Jimi Adams from the Department of Health and Behavioral Studies at CU Denver College write “that the literature on outcomes for children of same-sex parents is marked by scientific consensus that they experience ‘no differences’ compared to children from other parental configurations.”

This research comes at a crucial time where the U.S. Supreme Court is determining whether the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects marriage equality of same-sex partners. In Obergefell v. Hodges, the courts are presenting social science research to argue for and against same-sex marriage. For this particular study, it provides evidence that the children born of or adopted into these relationships suffer no disadvantages.

“I wanted to analyze the research from the past decades,” Adams said, “to determine if there was consensus amongst researchers about that effect.”

Adams and his team looked through peer-reviewed scientific records on the subject from the 1990s, finding a developing “[c]onsensus on outcomes for children of same-sex parents.” By 2000, researchers had reached an “overwhelming” consensus on the issue.

Adams reported:

“I found overwhelming evidence that scientists agree that there is not a negative impact to children of same-sex couples.”

So why are people still so resistant? Former U.S. House Representative Barney Frank offers a suggestion, arguing that the ignorance underlying resistance to same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization is similar. In both cases, he says, reality will overcome prejudice and ultimately be adopted as the law of the land.