Survey on whether or not homosexual couples should be allowed to adopt children

I'm conducting a survey in order to write an essay for my Communication Studies class. My topic is "Should homosexual couples be allowed to adopt children?"

I'd really appreciate it if persons could give your views on this topic; provide reasons for these views etc. Please include answers to the following questions as well

Sex

Sexual Orientation

Age group: 13-19
20-30
31-40
41-50
over 50

1. Do you think a couple's sexual orientation should be a deciding factor in whether or not they can adopt a child? Give reasons for your answer.

2. Do you agree that homosexual couples should be given the right to adopt children as a part of their constitutional right?

3. do you believe that by having homosexual parents a child will automatically 'become' gay?

4. Do you believe that there is a greater likelihood of physical and sexual abuse (of children) in adoptive, homosexual families?

Are your views on this topic influenced by general societal view; your cultural environment; religion or any other factor? If yes, please state which and explain.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

Sex: Female
Orientation: Straight
Age Group: 13-19

1. I definitely DO NOT think that a couple's sexual orientation should be a deciding factor in whether or not they can adopt a child because someone's sexual orientation should not even matter. If people do use that as a factor then that's discrimination. I thought America was trying to be a better nation and strive to treat and see everyone as equals. Allowing to deny somebody's right to adopt is definitely taking a step backwards. Saying were not gonna let you adopt a child because your gay or lesbian is the same thing as saying you cant sit here cause your black, or you cant participate in sports cause your mentally challenged or disabled. I mean it's definitely not right. What should matter is whether or not their capable to provide the child with love and security. Just because your sexually orientation is different doesn't mean that you cannot love a child and provide for a child the same way a straight couple can. This matter should be based solely on are the couples capable of providing for this child not on sexual orientation. To me that's ridiculous.

2. Absolutely. There is no doubt in my mind that a homosexual couple should be given the right to adopt. Why are we scared of these people. I really don't understand it. Were treating them as if their a disease that will contaminate others. It's not fair. Were forgetting that behind their sexual orientation their people. Their not aliens or some disease that you can catch. If their not given this as a constitutional right then agencies will not allow them to adopt. People are biased and if there isn't a law that states that its part of their right then company's will not let them adopt a child. It's actually really sad that people can't accept them and that we have to go to extreme measures of turning this into a law.

3. Oh my gosh. I just go crazy when I hear ignorant people saying this. Okay I know that we really don't understand how someone can like the same sex or even when did they realize that they liked the same sex, but I do believe that just because your hanging around homosexuals that doesn't mean you will turn gay and the same concept goes for when a homosexual couple adopts a child. Homosexuality is NOT a disease. This is not something that you can catch. I really can't explain it, but look at it this way. There are straight couples who have children that are homosexuals. So I think it's absurd that people are thinking that a child will automatically become gay. I mean, we really don't know who we are. We go through experiences that shape who we are today and through that we get an understanding on what we like. I really don't know if your born being homosexual or if its through experiences that you become gay, or maybe its a combination of both. Either way we can never tell what a child will be when he/she grows up. We don't know if our kids will grow to become serial killers. You don't know what people are capable of, and what they will be. All you can do is provide a child a loving and healthy environment to live in.

4. No I do not. I think that because homosexuals are faced with so many discrimination and violence towards them, they have a more loving and caring personality. They understand what a person goes through when their not accepted and bullied. So I think it's actually the opposite. There is a less likelihood of physical and sexual abuse of children in adoptive homosexual families. In my eyes, growing up in a homosexual family, there is more openness and a more creative expression from children. They are not restrained and told not to ask questions. Most abuse come in families where the children are constrained and the adults put fear in them so they don't disobey and through that children get rebellious, and so the abuse starts. This is just my opinion.

5. First I have to say that my parents are extremely religious and absolutely hate the idea of a homosexual couple. Through their narrow minded thinking (sorry mom and dad) and my experiences that I've been through I learned to accept people and not judge. I'm an open person and I'm not afraid to say hey I think that girl is cute or wow she has big boobs. I guess I'm in tune with my sexuality and confident in myself. Just because I think a girl is cute doesn't mean I am a lesbian. I'm just the type of person who would never judge. I don't care about your skin color or sexual orientation. As long as your not rude or mean to others then I'm cool with you.

If you're black you cannot become a ku klux klan member; if you're gay or lesbian you are not qualified to give the child a NORMAL family. Two men sticking their dic&s in their wholes is not right either, or is it.


But then is it fair to give a child a 'privilege' of having two male or two female parents? Would you like to be raised in such a family, how it would affect your world and psyche.


Exactly, and two males sticking their d&cks into each other is not a loving and healthy environment to live in.


Exactly. So it's not a coincidence people of alcoholic parents are much more likely to have alcohol problems. Same applies to gay parents situation.


A human is only 2% different from a monkey (ie. an animal). If a male monkey tried to copulate with another male, don't you think he would be discriminated and outed by others (ie. the society?). It's natural and normal instinct to defend from unnatural behaviors.


You're not. You just want to manifest at any occasion you are different, that shows how insecure you really are.

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Imagine a gay couple adopted a baby girl. She's now 13 and starts menstruating. Whom she should talk about it, who could help her understand what's going on, explain her how and what to do. A male?

as for the survey:

Sex: male

Sexual Orientation: pansexual

Age group: 31-40

1. no. sexual orientation has no relevance when it comes to childcare. i find this question to be quite perverse, to be honest.

2. yes. depriving homosexuals the right is fascist.

3. no. if anything, it will automatically become a tolerant human being. if the homosexual parents are hysterically gay (ie. a stereotype), the child could become gay or it could become a gaybasher.

4. no. on the contrary. i am sure there a bigger risk of sexual abuse in adoptive, closeted/gay in denial/homophobic families.

Are your views on this topic influenced by general societal view; your cultural environment; religion or any other factor? If yes, please state which and explain.

i'm a product of my environment. no religious upbringing in an european metropol with a gay uncle who died from AIDS.

First off I'm going to start by saying this. I respect your opinion and views even if I dont believe in them.
All right let me get at u real quick ;)


First of all what is normal nowadays. Normal to you is what society has driven in us and told us since the day we landed on here. I believe that as people WE get to DECIDE on whats normal for us. NOT SOCIETY! Also, It is definitely discrimination if people tell you that you cannot do something because your x, y and z. DUH! that has nothing to do with common sense. Like honestly what world are you living in? We are both in no place to judge and say what people are and aren't allowed to do. Here in America we are allowed to do what we please in the privacy of our bedrooms.


Do you honestly hear yourself when your speaking? You should because you sound ridiculous. I wouldn't care who I was raised by whether it be both males, both females or a dog and a cat. As long as someone loves me, and provide me with a roof over my head then I'm good. It's not about "privilege" as you put it. Do you know how many children are abandoned and are in orphanages in the US alone? The numbers are overwhelming. What were doing is depriving children of a home becomes mom and dad are two gay guys. Honestly being raised in a homosexual house would not affect a child's psyche, its people on the outside that would affect them. People who don't understand and people who are quick to judge.


Here you go again with your narrow mindedness. This is not about what they do in their bedroom. Who cares? Do people make a big deal when your watching porn?? No! That is your business. Is parents yelling at each other and having arguments everyday a loving and healthy environment to raise a child in? Absolutely not, but they happen everyday and 4 out of 5 parents are going through with that. So this isn't even a topic that should matter. Oh my gosh two guys are having sex. Oh the horror!!!! Like who cares! get over it!

Look everybody reacts to things differently, but in most occasions, children born in a problematic family environment tend to learn through their mistakes, and not want to be like their parents.


So your saying that we also should not allow alcoholics, or people who drink alcohol to not adopt children cause the same thing goes for them to. Our children will grow to be alcoholics.


What's "unnatural" is what society has driven in to us. My point exactly, it doesn't matter if we are only 2% different from monkeys. The big picture here is that WE ARE DIFFERENT. Because I like to wear different colored socks, or dye my hair different colors, because I'm not fashion forward, and not like you so I guess I'm unnatural huh. This is what I'm talking about. It's people like you, that slows down the growth process of our country. Whose to say what's natural or not. Why not let them be, and not judge. Because I don't dress "normal" or don't pray to the same God, that doesn't mean I don't feel or think.


Are you out of your mind?!!! This makes no sense. Me being able to compliment a girl and look at her and comment on her breasts or whatever definitely shows how SECURE I am in my own skin and in my sexuality. I'm not manifesting anything, I'm just admiring the female body. A guy not allowing himself to be by gays or feminine males, jut shows how insecure he is in his own skin because he's scared that their going to turn him into one of them. Gosh, please think before you comment.


The world is different today. I mean, my dad was the one who bought me my first bra, and today he continues to buy me bra and underwear. Why? Because as his daughter, he sees that my mother never wanna do these things so he takes it upon himself to be a PARENT and do it for me. My dad is basically my mom. There is no definite role of what a man is supposed to do and what a woman is supposed to do. When your a parent, it doesn't matter what role you play, as long as your a PARENT!!! So what if a male talks to a female about menstruation. If he doesn't understand everything, what a good parent would do is find someone who does and explain it to her. I understand that to a 13 year old girl she would feel embarrassed, but her gay parents would definitely explain to her that there's nothing to be embarrassed about and that every single woman in the world goes through it, and she's not alone.

I'm just a regular girl who believes in same sex marriage, equal rights and opportunity for everyone, and protecting our environment. I don't have the answers for everything, but I do know that having a closed mind gets us nowhere. I took a sociology class in college and I learned that

gender is culturally constricted behaviors and ideas that we attach to males and females such as your a guy so you play with trucks, and your a girl so you play with a barbie. That does not make up who we are, so we shouldn't be just constrained to what society allows and wants to see us as.

13-19

1. Do you think a couple's sexual orientation should be a deciding factor in whether or not they can adopt a child? Give reasons for your answer.

Absolutely not. Sexual orientation should not factor into adoption procedure. Homosexual couples are just as able to provide a stable, healthy home environment as straight couples. Besides, with so many children who are without families and so many gay couples who would like to adopt, as they are unable to have children, I would think that making sexual orientation a negative factor would just be backwards.

2. Do you agree that homosexual couples should be given the right to adopt children as a part of their constitutional right?
Yes.

3. do you believe that by having homosexual parents a child will automatically 'become' gay?
No, I believe that homosexuality is a product of nature, not nurture. As someone has already mentioned, many gay people are raised by straight parents so their sexuality can't be attributed to the orientation of their parents.

4. Do you believe that there is a greater likelihood of physical and sexual abuse (of children) in adoptive, homosexual families?
Why on earth would that be true? The question reeks of ignorance and misinformation. So no, I don't think there's a great likelihood of abuse.

Are your views on this topic influenced by general societal view; your cultural environment; religion or any other factor? If yes, please state which and explain.

I was raised in a liberal city by a liberal single-mom. I have never subscribed to any religion; I believe in love, not God. I've also met many older gay couples, and all of my friends believe in gay marriage and adoption (although it's not as heavily discussed as gay marriage).

according to studies, sexual orientation of adoptive parents does not have an impact on emotional development of their children.

First off, thank you for replying, I'm EXTREMELY grateful.

Now:


I am neither ignorant nor misinformed. There are many people who are of this belief; I just wanted to know how common it is. I merely took a straight forward approach and asked for exactly what I wanted. I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way, it was not my intention.

Great argument, Rich! Did you come up with the idea of likening the institution of marriage to the KKK on your own, or did somebody help you with that?

Rick, if you are reading this and wondering if your hateful remarks in this thread represent the reason I suspended your account, you can be sure that they indeed do. Free expression is great, but hateful expression has no place here.

I am not even going to bother dismantling your ridiculous arguments in this thread. The kids can handle that easily on their own.

Rich, I have been wanting for a long time to rid EssayForum of your awful influence, but I hesitated out of interest in discourse that represents multiple views. But when you start saying things that could hurt young EssayForum members by making them feel badly about themselves for their sexual orientation, I have to cut you off despite how much I've enjoyed debunking your stupid arguments.

Good riddance.

And to offset any damage done to young minds in this thread, I'll share a link to a new project intended to show that most of us do NOT think the way Rich Monte does mashable.com/2010/09/21/dan-savage-youtube/