Therapy With Lesbian and Gay Parents and Their Children

Abstract

This article explores some of the social and clinical issues facing the many different kinds of gay and lesbian families that are becoming increasingly visible in the United States. Research findings are discussed that dispel popularly held myths and stereotypes concerning these families, gays and lesbians as parents, and their children. Clinical vignettes are presented to illustrate issues often encountered in the consulting room, some unique to gay and lesbian families and some common to all families.

Alaskan Gay Males’ Couple Experiences of Societal Non-Support: Coping Through Families of Choice and Therapeutic Means

“…For the sexual orientation minority, discrimination is oftentimes displayed through the denial of human and civil rights (Twist et al 2006). Social rejection and antigay attitudes can result in some gays falling victim to violent crimes (Ariel and McPherson 2000;Haldeman 2005). Victimization of gays through violence is common; nationally, 90% of gays have reported some kind of victimization at some point in their lives because of their sexual orientation (Robinson and Howard-Hamilton 2000).…”

“…Historically, members of any minority group in the United States (US) have been all but invisible; however, as estimated numbers of sexual orientation minorities increase so does their visibility (Ariel and McPherson 2000). A current approximation of the total number of sexual orientation minority persons and their family members in the US is about 50 million (Long and Serovich 2003).…”

“…Members of these couples often deal with external forces like societal oppression primarily through the use of effective problem solving skills (Todoroff 1995), accessing professional mental health care providers (Haldeman 2005;Means-Christensen et al 2003;Robinson and Howard-Hamilton 2000), and also through high levels of social support (Campbell 2000). Social support primarily comes from ''families of choice'' or ''chosen families,'' which usually are composed of friends and/or family members who are selected by the couple and who function in a type of fictive kin position within their family (Ariel and McPherson 2000;Bepko and Johnson 2000;Campbell 2000).…”

Interracial and Intercultural Lesbian Couples

“…Due to space limitations it is impossible to cover the myriad of decisions that lesbian couples encounter related to parenting. Clinicians are encouraged to read the literature in this area including recent works by Ariel and McPherson (2000), Lott-Whitehead and Tully (1999), Morningstar (1999), Muzio (1999), and O'Connell (1999.…”

The family therapy journals in 2000: a thematic review

“…This includes the Bowenite orthodoxy which Green (2000) rejects but also the assumption that gay and lesbian families have difficulties because they are gay and lesbian families. Thus Ariel and McPherson (2000) note that 'the issues brought into therapy include the usual problems that any family might encounter ' (2000: 426).…”