Image courtesy of Latina Moms.
Within the blink of an eye, we are halfway across the year. June not only marks the start of summer but also symbolizes Pride Month. Pride Month is celebrated annually in June to commemorate the Stonewall Riots that occurred in 1969 and create awareness for the LGBTQIA+ community.
An essential part of being an ally is truly immersing yourself and researching the topic so that we may not only raise awareness but also truly understand and support such a fundamental community.
Before you start buying all the rainbow-colored merchandise currently being released, take a moment to reflect on the meaning behind Pride Month and what it signifies today.
Society nowadays is more open than in previous generations. Now, members of the LGBTQIA+ community are allowed to get married in various countries and can even adopt children of their own.
Here are some things you may not have known about homoparental families.
Applies to Various Families
There is a common misconception that homoparental families are when both parents are of the same sex. In reality, however, a homoparental family is when at least one parent is lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
For example, you can have a different-sex family in which one of the parents identifies as bisexual. Parents can also be either cisgender or transgender.
This shows the broad diversity of homoparental families and how it is not a “one-size-fits-all” structure.
There is No Difference in a Child’s Wellbeing
It truly gets under my skin when people start to point out the “consequences” a child is exposed to by forming a part of a homoparental family. This implies that being raised by members of the LGBTQIA+ community affects their upbringing and mental health.
In reality, studies have shown that there is no difference between children who have been raised by same-sex or opposite-sex parents.
What truly matters is that we nurture our children and cultivate an environment in which they are loved and nurtured, have the freedom to express themselves, and feel comfort and security.
Homoparental Families Are More Likely To Adopt
According to the Family Equality Council, individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community and same-sex couples are more likely to adopt children or turn to foster care than different-sex couples.
Based on the 2020 U.S. Census, 20.9 percent of same-sex couples have adopted children, compared to 2.9 percent of different-sex couples.
This June, let’s make an effort to learn about and support homoparental families within our community.