Predictors of Attitudes toward Lesbian and Gay Parenting in an Ecuadorian Sample

Pedro Alexandre Costa,Paula Hidalgo-Andrade,Fernando Salinas-Quiroz,Adriana Olaya-Torres,Claudia Duque-Romero,Carlos Hermosa-Bosano

doi:10.1080/1550428x.2021.1935381

Abstract

In the past few years, Ecuador has experienced legal changes toward the recognition of sexual minority rights. However, lesbian and gay (LG) individuals and couples still face legal obstacles to become parents and social barriers that place their families in disadvantage compared to their heterosexual counterparts. To date, it is not known whether the legal changes reflect society’s move toward a more progressive and accepting climate. This study analyzed the attitudes toward LG parenting in an Ecuadorian online-recruited sample. Three hundred thirty-eight (338) participants answered an online questionnaire about the negative effects and the benefits of having LG parents. The strongest belief among participants was that children of LG parents would be victimized because of their parents’ sexual orientation. Analyses indicated differences in attitudes based on age, sexual orientation, marital status, education level, as well as religiosity. Finally, regression models suggested that beliefs about the origins of sexual orientation and contact with LG people predicted attitude scores. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Highlights

Since their beginning, studies on same-sex parenting have focused primarily on the analysis of children’s psychological, developmental, and social outcomes, especially from lesbian (L) and gay (G) parents, and to a lesser degree, bisexual (B) and transgender (T) parents (Goldberg, 2010; Patterson, 2013; Salinas-Quiroz et al, 2020; Tasker, 2005)
The first objective of this study was to describe the attitudes toward lesbian and gay (LG) parenting
We found that etiological beliefs of sexual orientation and interpersonal contact were the strongest variables explaining levels of attitudes toward LG parenting

Summary

Introduction

Studies on same-sex parenting have focused primarily on the analysis of children’s psychological, developmental, and social outcomes, especially from lesbian (L) and gay (G) parents, and to a lesser degree, bisexual (B) and transgender (T) parents (Goldberg, 2010; Patterson, 2013; Salinas-Quiroz et al, 2020; Tasker, 2005) This body of literature has consistently suggested that parental sexual orientation and gender identity do not impact children’s psychological, social, and physical well-being nor does it affect the quality of family relationships (Carneiro et al, 2017; Patterson, 2013; Stacey, 2013). LG couples can be as good parents as their heterosexual counterparts (Frias-Navarro et al, 2006)

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Conclusion