1. Home
  2. People & Relationships
  3. GLBT Teens

Did I Make My Child Gay?

By , About.com Guide

Question: Did I Make My Child Gay?
Answer:

Sometimes parents of GLBT kids wonder, "Did I Make My Child Gay?" The answer is no.

There is growing evidence that sexual orientation is too complex to simply be the product of a single factor like a gene, or a result of how a child was raised. And all you need to do to refute the idea that parenting style determines sexual orientation is to point out that the majority of GLBT people have straight parents!

Though psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud promoted the idea that gay children were the product of overbearing mothers and meek and passive fathers, very few contemporary psychologists believe there is any truth to this.

Letting boys play with dolls, walk around in their mothers heels or try on make up does not make them gay. Letting girls climb trees and wear baseball hats, does not make them lesbians.

The best advice is to raise a child with love and compassion. Whether they are straight or GLBT, this is the best way to ensure that they grow in to happy well adjusted adults

More GLBT Teens Q&A
Explore GLBT Teens
About.com Special Features

Start Planning a Wedding

The first 10 things to do when planning your wedding. More >

What Does Your Surname Mean?

Your last name may reveal a compelling story about your family history. More >

  1. Home
  2. People & Relationships
  3. GLBT Teens
  4. Family
  5. Information for Parents
  6. Did I Make My Child Gay - Parents Wonder Did I Make My Child Gay

©2010 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.