Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Among Donor-Conceived Offspring in the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study from Adolescence to Adulthood

introduction concerns about parents with minoritized sexual identities often focus on the belief that their children will be confused about their gender and report a non-heterosexual orientation compared to children reared by heterosexual parents. yet, few longitudinal studies exist. methods gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and sexual experiences were examined in 75 U.S. donor-conceived offspring (39 assigned females at birth (AFAB) and 36 assigned males at birth (AMAB)) of lesbian parents, when the offspring had reached adulthood (ages 30-33). Additionally, 72 of these offspring (38 AFAB and 34 AMAB) had also completed surveys in adolescence (age 17, data collected 2004-2009) and emerging adulthood (age 25, data collected 2012-2017), which enabled us to examine the developmental pathways of their sexuality. results All AMAB offspring and 94.7% of AFAB offspring who identified as cisgender during adolescence continued to do so during emerging adulthood and adulthood. over time, sexual orientation was more fluid than gender identity, and AFAB offspring were more fluid than AMAB offspring. specifically, considering those who reported the same (heterosexual/straight; lesbian, gay/homosexual; or bisexual+) sexual orientation from adolescence through emerging adulthood to adulthood, 63.9% were AFAB and 82.4% were AMAB. More than half of AFAB offspring and 80.6% of AMAB offspring identified as heterosexual in adulthood, and the vast majority had had sex with a non-transgender man (86.5%) and a non-transgender woman (93.6%), respectively, in the last 5 years.conclusions this is the only study that has followed the biological offspring of lesbian parents from birth to adulthood, prospectively and longitudinally. the results indicate that offspring of lesbian parents are less likely to identify as transgender than the general public, but more likely to identify as LGB or queer. policy Implications As gender and sexual identity development significantly impacts well-being, creating supportive environments for offspring of lesbian parents and increasing public awareness of the connections among developmental milestones, health, and thriving are vital

Stigmatization associated with growing up in a lesbianparented family: What do adolescents experience and how do they deal with 140

The purpose of the current qualitative study was to investigate whether adolescents in American planned lesbian families experienced negative reactions from their social environment associated with their mothers' sexual orientation, and if so, to explore the nature of these experiences. In addition, the focus was on the coping strategies as described by the adolescents themselves. Results revealed that half of the 78 participating 17-years-olds had experienced homophobic stigmatization. Such experiences usually took place within the school context and peers were most frequently mentioned as the source. The adolescents used adaptive strategies (such as optimism) more frequently than maladaptive strategies (such as avoidance) to cope with these negative experiences. Our results suggest that intervention programs focused on family diversity should be developed for school children of all ages since the stigmatization experienced by the studied adolescents typically happened in that context

Stigmatization associated with growing up in a lesbianparented family: What do adolescents experience and how do they deal with 140

The purpose of the current qualitative study was to investigate whether adolescents in American planned lesbian families experienced negative reactions from their social environment associated with their mothers' sexual orientation, and if so, to explore the nature of these experiences. In addition, the focus was on the coping strategies as described by the adolescents themselves. Results revealed that half of the 78 participating 17-years-olds had experienced homophobic stigmatization. Such experiences usually took place within the school context and peers were most frequently mentioned as the source. The adolescents used adaptive strategies (such as optimism) more frequently than maladaptive strategies (such as avoidance) to cope with these negative experiences. Our results suggest that intervention programs focused on family diversity should be developed for school children of all ages since the stigmatization experienced by the studied adolescents typically happened in that context

New Trends in Same-Sex Sexual Contact for American Adolescents?

A new analysis of the U.S. National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), comparing 2002 data to 2006-2008 data, found notable changes in teen girls’ sexual behavior. Seventeen-year-old girls in the later cohort were significantly less likely to have been heterosexually active (63% v. 46%) and more than twice as likely to have had same-sex contact (5% v. 11%). This group of teens was also more than three times as likely to have used emergency contraception (5% v. 17%) and less likely to have been pregnant (18% v. 12%).Additionally, the percentage of 17-year-old American girls who had ever been pregnant dropped significantly. Factors that may account for this drop include findings that more were waiting until later in adolescence to become heterosexually involved, more were using emergency contraception if they were heterosexually active, and more were engaging in same-sex behavior. Future research will help determine if this data constitutes a long-term trend.Findings were published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, in a letter to the editor titled “New Trends in Same-Sex Contact for American Adolescents?” The study was conducted by Nanette Gartrell, MD, Henny Bos, PhD (University of Amsterdam), and Naomi Goldberg, MPP (a Fellow at the Williams Institute during the time that this work was done). Principal investigator Nanette Gartrell, MD, is a 2011-12 Williams Institute Visiting Distinguished Scholar and also affiliated with the University of Amsterdam

Adolescents of the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Sexual Orientation, Sexual Behavior, and Sexual Risk Exposure

This study assessed Kinsey self-ratings and lifetime sexual experiences of 17-year-olds whose lesbian mothers enrolled before these offspring were born in the longest-running, prospective study of same-sex parented families, with a 93% retention rate to date. Data for the current report were gathered through online questionnaires completed by 78 adolescent offspring (39 girls and 39 boys). The adolescents were asked if they had ever been abused and, if so, to specify by whom and the type of abuse (verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual). They were also asked to specify their sexual identity on the Kinsey scale, between exclusively heterosexual and exclusively homosexual. Lifetime sexual behavior was assessed through questions about heterosexual and same-sex contact, age of first sexual experience, contraception use, and pregnancy. The results revealed that there were no reports of physical or sexual victimization by a parent or other caregiver. Regarding sexual orientation, 18.9% of the adolescent girls and 2.7% of the adolescent boys self-rated in the bisexual spectrum, and 0% of girls and 5.4% of boys self-rated as predominantly-to-exclusively homosexual. When compared with age- and gender-matched adolescents of the National Survey of Family Growth, the study offspring were significantly older at the time of their first heterosexual contact, and the daughters of lesbian mothers were significantly more likely to have had same-sex contact. These findings suggest that adolescents reared in lesbian families are less likely than their peers to be victimized by a parent or other caregiver, and that daughters of lesbian mothers are more likely to engage in same-sex behavior and to identify as bisexual

Lesbian and Heterosexual Two-Parent Families: Adolescent–Parent Relationship Quality and Adolescent Well-Being

This study compared 51 adolescents from intact two-mother planned lesbian families (all conceived through donor insemination) with 51 adolescents from intact mother-father families on their relationships with their parents (parental control, disclosure to parents, and adolescent-parent relationship quality), psychological adjustment (self-esteem, social anxiety, and conduct problems), and substance usage (consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana/hashish). The adolescents (average age 16 years) were matched on demographic characteristics (age, gender, educational level, country of birth, parental birth country) with a sample from a large school-based survey, and data were collected by means of adolescent self-reports. Analyses indicated that adolescents in both family types had positive relationships with their parents, which were favorably associated with psychological well-being. On the assessments of psychological adjustment and substance use, family type was significantly associated only with self-esteem and conduct problems: Adolescents with lesbian mothers had higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of conduct problems than their counterparts in heterosexual-parent families. Overall, the findings indicate that adolescents from intact two-mother lesbian families are comparable to those in a matched comparison group with intact mother-father families. The few differences found on psychological well-being favored the adolescents in lesbian two-mother families

Il National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (USA): l’adattamento psicologico negli adolescenti di 17 anni

Lo scopo di questa ricerca è documentare l’adattamento psicologico di adolescenti concepiti attraverso l’inseminazione artificiale eterologa da madri lesbiche reclutate prima della nascita dei figli nel più grande e lungo studio prospettico longitudinale sulle famiglie con genitori dello stesso sesso. Metodologia: Tra il 1986 e il 1992, 154 future madri lesbiche hanno partecipato volontariamente a una ricerca finalizzata a seguire alcune famiglie lesbiche dal concepimento fino alla maggiore età dei figli. I dati contenuti nel presente articolo sono stati raccolti attraverso interviste e questionari compilati da 78 bambini quando avevano 10 e 17 anni, nonché mediante interviste e Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)compilate dalle loro madri negli stessi periodi. La ricerca è tuttora in corso e ad oggi ha un tasso di prosecuzione del 93%. Risultati: In base ai resoconti delle madri, i diciassettenni con madri lesbiche hanno ottenuto punteggi significativamente più alti in socialità, scuola e totale delle competenze, e significativamente più bassi in problemi sociali, comportamento trasgressivo, comportamento aggressivo e problemi esternalizzanti, rispetto ai loro coetanei del campione normativo di Achenbach di giovani americani. Nel campione delle famiglie lesbiche non sono state riscontrate differenze nelle CBCL degli adolescenti concepiti per mezzo di donatori conosciuti, conoscibili su richiesta e anonimi, nonché nelle CBCL degli adolescenti le cui madri stavano ancora insieme o si erano separate. Conclusioni: Gli adolescenti nati e cresciuti in famiglie con madri lesbiche dimostrano un buon adattamento psicologico. Questi risultati possono essere utili per gli approcci clinici con gli adolescenti e per i pediatri che vengono consultati su questioni riguardanti l’omogenitorialità

US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Psychological Adjustment of 17-Year-Old Adolescents

The objective of this study was to document the psychological adjustment of adolescents who were conceived through donor insemination by lesbian mothers who enrolled before these offspring were born in the largest, longest running, prospective, longitudinal study of same-sex–parented families.  Adolescents who have been reared in lesbian-mother families since birth demonstrate healthy psychological adjustment. These findings have implications for the clinical care of adolescents and for pediatricians who are consulted on matters that pertain to same-sex parenting

US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Psychological Adjustment of 17-Year-Old Adolescents

The objective of this study was to document the psychological adjustment of adolescents who were conceived through donor insemination by lesbian mothers who enrolled before these offspring were born in the largest, longest running, prospective, longitudinal study of same-sex–parented families.  Adolescents who have been reared in lesbian-mother families since birth demonstrate healthy psychological adjustment. These findings have implications for the clinical care of adolescents and for pediatricians who are consulted on matters that pertain to same-sex parenting