Are children of homosexual parents more likely to be homosexual themselves?

Is a child whose parents are homosexual more likely to become homosexual themselves? This question clearly reflects society’s prejudices regarding the sexual orientation of children raised by same-sex parents. To answer this question, researchers recently published a study in the Journal of Homosexualitywhich analyzes the sexual orientation of young adults raised by homosexual parents.

Thus, the authors of the study sought to provide the most comprehensive data possible, exploring several dimensions of sexual orientation while taking into account differences between the sexes. Here’s what they deduced!

The vast majority of children of homosexual parents consider themselves heterosexual

The study in question involved 30 young Spanish adults, aged 18 to 36, who were raised by homosexual parents. The sample consisted of 19 women and 11 men. To participate, people had to have lived with their homosexual parents for at least two years before turning 16, while being aware of their sexual orientation. With such criteria, it was not easy to find participants. The researchers took part in LGBT family meetings, contacted LGBT groups and the specialized press. Additionally, they asked participants to recommend other people who met the study criteria. Most young adults were contacted through their parents, who invited them to participate in the study.

To assess the sexual orientation of candidates, the researchers chose the Klein Sexual Orientation Grid (KSOG). This is based on three factors: sexual attraction, sexual behavior and sexual self-identification. Each of them then had to rate themselves according to each of these factors, on a seven-point scale. To do this, they took into account both their past experiences, as well as their state at the time of the interview.

According to the results, a large majority of participants (87%) reported having had sexual experiences only with people of the other sex. These data closely match those of the general population, suggesting that the sexual behavior of children raised by same-sex parents does not actually differ from that of children raised by heterosexual parents.

More variable sexual attraction among children of homosexual parents

However, the study highlighted a greater degree of variability regarding sexual attraction, depending on whether the parents were heterosexual or homosexual. Indeed, compared to the general population, 90% of whose participants identify as exclusively heterosexual, the study reveals that only 67% of candidates with homosexual parents declare themselves to be exclusively attracted to people of the other sex. .

The other participants are not categorical on the question, and by this they include both occasional and exclusive homosexuality. Among them, 20% say they are occasionally attracted to people of the same sex. These results suggest that people with homosexual parents have more variable sexual attraction than those whose parents are of different sexes.

It is also among women that this response is more dispersed among the children of homosexual parents: 91% of men identify as exclusively heterosexual (and 9% exclusively homosexual) compared to 42% of women.

Further studies remain necessary

According to the researchers, the differences observed between the sexes during this study are quite similar to those observed in the general population. They can be explained in several ways, one of them being linked to differences in genital arousal. In men, arousal would only be in response to preferred sex (it is exclusive to one category – straight or gay), while women would be more open to diversity, whatever their true sexual preference (a greater sexual fluidity in women).

Although this study provides interesting results, it nevertheless has some limitations which do not allow generalization of the results: the small size of the sample observed or the limited recruitment method, mainly through parents.

According to the researchers, future studies in this area should involve larger, more diverse samples and include longitudinal studies to track changes over time. Furthermore, it would be interesting to carry out research on children of homosexual parents, in societies where the degree of acceptance of homosexuality is different.