Supporters of gay marriage hold up a photo and copy of their marriage certificate at rally outside the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals as judges rule that California's Proposition 8, a ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, in San Francisco on February 7, 2012. (File/UPI/Terry Schmitt) |
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American Academy of Pediatrics, which is 60,000 pediatricians strong, issued a statement Wednesday in support of same-sex marriage equality.
"Scientific evidence affirms that children have similar developmental and emotional needs and receive similar parenting whether they are raised by parents of the same or different genders. If a child has 2 living and capable parents who choose to create a permanent bond by way of civil marriage, it is in the best interests of their child(ren) that legal and social institutions allow and support them to do so, irrespective of their sexual orientation."
The AAP has also issued a technical report based on 30 years of research which found that children raised by gay and lesbian parents demonstrate "resiliance with regard to social, psychological and sexual health despite economic and legal disparities and social stigma." The report added that "relationships with their parents, their parents' sense of competence and security, and the presence of social and economic support" affect a child's well-being more than the gender or the sexual orientation of parents.
"Lack of opportunity for same-gender couples to marry adds to families’ stress, which affects the health and welfare of all household members. Because marriage strengthens families and, in so doing, benefits children’s development, children should not be deprived of the opportunity for their parents to be married."
The AAP also supported the right of LGBTQ citizens to adopt and foster children, saying the competency of the parents was important, not sexual orientation.
