The_Lesbian_And_Gay_Stepfamily

The Lesbian And Gay Stepfamily Considerations of Family Structure and Gender Composition: The Lesbian and Gay Stepfamily This article explores the similarities and dissimilarities between heterosexual stepfamilies and gay/lesbian stepfamilies. Hypothesis 1: Gay and lesbian stepparents experience similar structural challenges as heterosexual stepfamilies. Hypothesis 2: Gay and lesbian stepparents experience dissimilar sexual and gender composition issues as heterosexual stepfamilies. Participants: 23 Gay and lesbian stepfamilies, 17 female and 6 male. Both biological parent and stepparent were interviewed. The author compares findings of these families to literature on heterosexual stepfamilies. Method: 1-2 hour face to face or over the phone interviews with both biological parent and stepparent. Results: Homosexual stepfamilies share similar structural challenges as heterosexual stepfamilies. Homosexual stepfamilies share dissimilar sexual and gender issues than heterosexual stepfamilies. Structural Challenges *Family formation: Most gay/lesbian stepparents like heterosexual families failed to plan or consider how becoming a family would be accomplished. Unrealistic expectations characterized both types of families despite gender composition. Both types believed the transition would be relatively smooth and new family members would automatically share care and concern for each other. Both heterosexual and homosexual stepparents were surprised stepfamilies, heterosexual, homosexual, both, lesbian, gay, family, families, stepparents, parenting, gender, about, issues, unrealistic, types, structural, share, sexual, parents, parent, gay/lesbian, focus, experience, composition, challenges, biological, theme, stepparent, similar, needs, hypothesis, home, feeling, face, dissimilar