An examination of the effects of adoption on gay and lesbian parents and the effects of parental sexual orientation on adopted children

This literature review seeks to understand the effects that engaging in adoption has on gay and lesbian individuals and how parental sexual orientation affects adopted children. The literature examined was divided into two categories. The first category consisted of research about gay and lesbian adoptive parents and factors related to their transition into parenthood. The second category consisted of research describing found outcomes of adoptive children that have been raised by gay and lesbian parents in comparison to adoptive children raised by heterosexual couples. The research appears to suggest that, contrary to societal expectation, gay and lesbian couples go through similar relational trends when transitioning into parenthood. It also seems to suggest that the sexual orientation of an adoptive parent does not positively or negatively affect the emotional well-being of the child. Limitations of the research, as well as recommendations for further research are included in the study.