APA Say What?!

The APA (American Psychological Association) has shared their conclusion to the public that, "Not a single study has found children of lesbian or gay parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents"... 

While zooming in our lenses on their experiments we have found several major flaws in their study.

Every reliable experiment has a controlled variable (constant variable). In this case, the controlled variable would be heterosexual parents. Right? 

Well, many of their experiments had absolutely no controlled variable! Sometimes even if there was... they had subjects that were single parent mothers.

How can we compare gay/lesbian parents to single parent mothers when the conclusion is that of heterosexual parents? Right?

In addition to the lack of controlled variables, many experiments included a subject size of less than 50. If you know anything about statistics, this is not an accurate sample of gay/lesbian parents to represent the majority.

As if the sample size wasn't enough... the APA based their experiment outcomes on irrelevant topics such as, "Adult self-reports" or "Parenting beliefs". Though there is interest in these topics, what we really need to measure to support the conclusion is what the children are like. Sure, let the parents voice their opinions and motives, but how are the children adjusting to the world around them?

For example: From the Publications Cited in the APA Brief on Gay and Lesbian Parenting there is a study which is measuring "Sexual and Social Identity" by O'Connell in 1993 using the qualitative approach with only 11 gay/lesbian compared to 0 hetero.

I think you can see where this study is unsupportive to our conclusion.

What is the importance of this APA conclusion?

You may know that the Supreme Court is currently deciding on our definition of legal marriage. Since the Proposition 8 controversy and DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) the Supreme Court will be reviewing many scientific briefs to help sway their decision. One of which I mentioned above. The APA is a well-known and well credited source. When first looking at its brief, I was convinced but as further inspection was done you can see where I stand on this.

Just something you can think about!

I know I was quite shocked.

APA, say what?! 

In a Nutshell.

My father was married and had three sons. My mother was married and had two daughters. They both ended their marriages in divorce. My parents met at a singles dance and fell in love. A short time later, they were married and had two daughters. I am the youngest out of seven children.

The lady on the far right... that's me. I'm Kathryn. 

This is my second semester here at BYU-Idaho. My major is Marriage and Family Studies. I hope to work at an adoption agency either for a Christian program or preferably, for LDS services.

God was so gracious to give us a unique family here on Earth.

My family is my family for always.