Adult Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents: Religion and the Parent-Child Relationship. (May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lytle, Megan C.; Foley, Pamela F.; Aster, Amanda M.
• Is Part Of: Counseling psychologist. Volume 41:Number 4(2013)
• Page Start: 530
• Page End: 567
• Publication Date: 2013-05
• Subjects: gay -- lesbian -- religion -- children -- parents; Counseling psychology -- Periodicals; 158.305
• DOI: 10.1177/0011000012449658
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0011-0000

Abstract

Previous scholars have explored various challenges facing children of gay and lesbian individuals, and some have explored the impact of a parent's sexual orientation on the parent-child relationship. However, the impact of religion on the parent-child relationships of adult children with a gay or lesbian parent has been overlooked. In this study, 10 adult children with both a gay or lesbian parent and a heterosexual parent were interviewed and asked to retrospectively explore how religion impacted their parent-child relationships. The following themes emerged from phenomenological analysis of the interviews: (a) family break-up more difficult than the parents' coming out; (b) discovery that parent was gay or lesbian; (c) initial shame over having a gay or lesbian parent; (d) positive aspects of having a gay or lesbian parent; (e) redefined relationship with religion; and (f) impact of culture on how gay and lesbian individuals are viewed.