Does Same-Sex Marriage Really Affect Children?

     There have been so many studies over the years regarding different family systems, in particular the effects of different families on children. These studies are measured by correlations between different family structures and the success of children in various areas such as: education, drug abuse, chances of being physically abused, and even success in future relationships with divorce rates.

      For example, families with both the mother and father married in the home statistically do much better overall in categories. While in homes without the father present, (ex: Single mother homes, foster homes, and/or living with extended family) tend to have much higher rates of poverty, crime and abuse. However, this does not mean that if you are a single mother that you are going to be guaranteed failure for the upbringing of your children, as well as all mother-father homes are guaranteed success. Nevertheless, one must acknowledge the fact that the family structure in which a child is raised does have a significant impact on their success in the future. Even the very race and ethnic background of a family seems to present patterns to children's general development.

    More recently debates have arisen regarding same-sex parenting. Various studies have claimed that there is no difference between same-sex marriages and mother-father marriages on their effects on children -- but not only has it been revealed that the majority of these studies have had very small study groups - limiting the accuracy of their findings, but they have a large chance of biases as well.

   I believe it is thoughtless for anyone - no matter their moral position - to assume that ANY change in the family structure, especially something that has never been done within past generations,  will have no effect  the development of the children in the said family structure. I base this upon the fact, that all other research indicates variation, the majority negative, within family structures that are NOT the mother-father married model.

Recent studies have pointed out the flaws in research done on same-sex marriage, as far as biases go. While, now new studies are beginning to show that perhaps negative effects do take place (perhaps even taking a spot statistically lower than single-mother homes)  -- but their has simply not been enough research on the issue, and non-biased organizations, need to carefully tract information.

I believe, like all other variations in the family from the traditional model (mother-father marriage) -- same-sex marriage will have a negative effect on upbringing of children. But who's to say where it will fall, or how different it will be from any other 2 parent home. That is why more research must be done on the issue.