Clinical work with children and adolescents growing up with lesbian, gay, and bisexual parents

Abstract

A life course developmental construct is used in this chapter to illuminate the importance of LGB adults— experiences with key life events and processes (e.g., coming out) for their experiences as parents and their approach to parenting. Indeed, growing up as a sexual minority can influence the strengths and vulnerabilities one brings to parenting. For example, LGB adults experience minority stress due to their minority group status. The children of LGB people may also experience minority stress due to their “membership-by-association.” Their children may therefore encounter obstacles that stem from the homophobia, stigmatization, and microaggressions that are directed toward them due to their parent's sexual orientation. Clinicians commonly see children and adolescents from multiple family structures as a part of routine practice. Knowledge of issues that may be particular to LGB parents can be used in clinical practice to work effectively with LGB-parent families and facilitate comprehensive treatment approaches.