Same-Sex Parenting - Essay Example

Same Sex Parenting The first time that I heard of the word fag was during 6th grade and I did not pay much attention to it. However, attention to this word has increased mostly because of the increase in the behavior associated to it. The behavior linked to the word fag is homosexuality, which leads to other happenings such as the emergence of same sex couples and parenting. For this reason, I have decided to analyze a text by the title of Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children: Summary of Research Findings by Charlotte J. Patterson. Analyzing this text and incorporating research would also help in finding out the reason behind the increase in same sex orientation. The article maintains that same sex parenting as well as stigma against gay unions has been on the rise. The article also clarifies on several issues mostly ranging from the relationship that the gay parents have with the children that they have adopted. In addition, it takes a clear look on the laws that have been modified to accommodate these new unions. Additionally, the beliefs of psychological maladjustment on the gay couples are also analyzed and a conclusion reached indicating that there are no psychological issues behind same sex orientation. The author also analyzes how gay parents take care of the children under their custody and compares them with those reared by heterosexual parents. Moreover, the difficulties in socializing that are experienced by the children reared by same sex couples are also analyzed. The author stresses on the legislation part that has been altered to include laws that view the same sex couples as equal to heterosexual ones. In fact, according to the U.S Gay and Lesbian Atlas, America has approximately 160,000 gay families who play parents to approximately a quarter of a million children although they cannot biologically give birth (Landau 81). Technically speaking, same sex couples cannot give birth because of the obvious reason that conception happens between members of opposite gender. The government has a hand in the increase of same sex couples. In fact, the U.S government has gone ahead to allow them to get married and even bring up kids. The article stresses that the public policies that govern adoption of children by the gay parents have been altered by the judiciary to accommodate them. Some of the proponents of this behavior have been arguing that same sex couples would help in easing up of homeless kids because they can adopt them. In my school, I know several peers that come from a gay background. I have been studying with them since 6th grade and only realized recently that they come from a gay background. This is because they are not comfortable with their parental background. The text confirms this and adds that the individuals with same sex orientation are victimized through verbal and unwarranted prejudice (Patterson 5). From my understanding of the U.S constitution, a normal family is usually comprised of one man and one woman. During my younger years, the cases of gay were not even discussed since they happened rarely. However, the modern world has changed to the point that there are same sex couples who have been permitted to live as a family in a substantial number of countries. The text affirms that the political arena has allowed the existence of this behavior. For instance, our previous president, President George W. Bush made a call to amend the constitution particularly the sections that protect marriage between a man and a woman (Landau 81). Since this step by the previous president, our country has changed its view on the issue of same sex parenting. However, by 2005, the U.S population was yet to agree with this behavior. This is because at least 27 other states had voted in favor of amending their constitutions to prohibit gay couples and define marriage as the union between one woman and one man (Landau 81). This was a positive progress to me since this behavior is simply unacceptable. In addition, as previously believed, the literature has managed to indicate that the idea of same sex couples being mentally ill is not accurate (Patterson 7). However, most of the efforts to avert same sex families have turned out in the favor of the gay couples prompting most Americans to relate this agenda with politics. Americans may have a good point when relating this behavior with politics because the gay couples have even been awarded rights. According to the text, same sex couples brought in the issue of rights that should be awarded to them that include but not limited to the right to adoption. The issue of rights did not end with adoption but the gay couples even want the American population to view them as normal or in a similar way as the heterosexual partners, which, to me, would not be accomplished easily (Patterson 5-6). This is because a significant portion of America still views same sex marriages as taboo or even disgusting. In fact, the text confirms that some people have become pissed off with this behavior to the point of using violence against it. In certain instances, there has been gender related killings in which the opponents of same sex marriages have argued that the couples provoked the killer to commit murder by displaying homosexual behavior (Caputi and Russell 422). Although these cases are not too many, there has been an increase in physical violence against gay couples particularly in the U.S. One of these cases incorporates a woman named Claudia Brenner, whose lover by the name of Rebecca was killed after being shot repeatedly by a stranger. Brenner barely survived the attack with five gunshot wounds (Caputi and Russell 422). The two were attacked for being lesbians. I have always wondered why someone’s sexual orientation would be directed towards a fellow woman or man. Some women have pointed out that men are violent and that their main aim is to show male supremacy over them. To a significant extent, this is true. Statistically, between the periods of 1976 and 1987, 33% of female murders were perpetrated by their husbands (Caputi and Russell 424). Patterson’s text maintains that others have also been victimized through rape, which at times leads to murder. This has been referred to as femicide, which incorporates murder by a man who is motivated by pleasure, hatred, or contempt. This may prompt a woman to form attachments with a fellow woman who is non-violent. With regard to males, male rape cases, which in spite of being underreported at most 10%, are still on the rise (Mulkey 20). Individuals may get the same sex orientation following such assault. This then may give rise to a gay family (Coxell and King 382). It is undeniable that the U.S media, both the television and the print media, has been on the front row in supporting same sex parenting. This is in spite of the fact that the media rarely acknowledges the existence of gay youth. I have rarely heard the American television saying the terms gay and lesbian without associating them with marriage. Since the American way of parenting is questionable due to the busyness of the parents, the text adds that the media has taken the responsibility of educating the teens (Patterson 9-10). As such, the media has created a new culture known as the media culture, which has been creating a different sense of whom an individual should be. This implies that the selfhood, the sense of what means to be female or male, and sexuality are being defined by media in the modern medial culture (Kellner 5). Unfortunately, the consumer and media society does not have the adequate knowledge required in distinguishing the good and the bad within the messages communicated by the media. This then leads to confusion on what is right or wrong. This is because the media is a rich source of cultural pedagogy in educating the people on how to think, behave, and desire. Such a seductive cultural environment as the media can create an oppositional identity that resists the norms and takes a new direction such as becoming gay. The text maintains that access to the media increases the danger of exposing teens’ minds to the wrong information. The gay parents do not like showing themselves in the media. In fact, most of the times, the U.S print media only shows the children under their custody and shows less attention on the parents (Pascoe 125-127). This is because the parents want the media to view them as good parents (Patterson 25). However, this attempt is not successful. This is because the kids with gay parental background try as much as possible not to associate themselves with the gay parenthood. In fact, having gay parents or even being gay is still positioned by the society as one of the things to be ashamed of. This then makes it difficult for the children under the custody of gay parents to come out (Landau 87). In conclusion, same sex parenting has become accepted in the contemporary world due to many reasons that even include media, which has created the new media culture. While media may bring confusion, it acknowledges same sex parenthood. Significant literature indicates that these cases have increased and constitutions have been modified to include them. Following a myriad of reasons, same sex families have increased to the point that constitution amendments have been called for and undertaken to incorporate same sex marriages. In spite of the inclusion of gay rights in the constitution, violence has also intensified against gay families as well as stereotyping. The main words that are used to stereotype them may include fag and may lead to children being ashamed of their gay parents. The media can be used as an essential source of information that can help in aiding people to understand the critical perspectives of sexual policies, the hegemony of the American society as well as the ideology workings. This can help in overcoming the violence against same sex parents as well as the discourse. Works Cited Caputi, Jane and Russell Diana E. H. “Femicide”: Speaking the Unspeakable. London: Lang Communications, 1990. Print. Coxell, Adrian W. and King, Michael B. “Male Victims of Rape and Sexual Abuse” Sexual and Relational Therapy 25.4 (2010): 380-391. Print. Kellner, Douglas. Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism and Media Culture. Thousand Oaks: Sage 1995. Print. Landau, Jamie. “Straightening Out (the politics of) Same-Sex Parenting: Representing Gay Families in US Print News Stories and Photographs” Critical Studies in Media Communication 26.1 (2009): 80-100. Print. Mulkey, Marty. “Recreating Masculinity: Drama Therapy with Male Survivors of Sexual Assault” The Arts in Psychotherapy 31.1 (2004): 19-28. Print. Pascoe, C. J. ““Dude, You’re a Fag”: Adolescent Masculinity and the Fag Disclosure” Sexualities 8.3 (2005): 124-136. Print. Patterson, Charlotte J. Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children: Summary of Research Findings. Washington DC: American Psychological Association 2005. Print. Read More