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Homosexual Families


Brutal physical attacks, hurtful name-calling, and rejection from community events are just a few of the forms of discrimination imposed upon homosexuals and their children. LITERATURE REVIEW The family itself has undergone significant changes within the last two decades due to changes within society. Alternative lifestyles have begun to increase and homosexuals have witnessed a significant number of new obstacles that are of concern to the structure of the family. The most significant problem facing homosexuals who choose to raise a family is the legal recognition of same sex marriages. The most recent and significant decision affecting same sex marriages was in 1996 when The Defense of Marriage Act was passed by both houses in the U.S. government. This landmark proposal "defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman and allows states to deny recognition of same sex marriages. The bill does not ban same sex marriages but denies recognition of them by precluding spousal benefits distributed by various government programs such as Social Security" (Cabaj 1998: 34). There is an overwhelming number of gay couples who are raising children or planning to raise children that were denied this right, and continue to face criticism and scrutiny from society as well as the judicial system. It is estimated that there are approximately 6 to 14 million gay fathers and lesbian mothers who are both biological and non-biological parents, thus the term family is gradually becoming ambiguous. Societal pressures that attempt to maintain the "traditional" family structure have adverse affects on the homosexual family; without a support system the likelihood of instability within the family becomes greater. Advocates of gay rights suggest that homosexuals must become more involved in issues pertaining to the homosexual community in order to further the progression of their legal and social status (Bozett 1987).


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