Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

What Changed When the Gay Adoption Ban was Lifted?: Perspectives of Lesbian and Gay Parents in Florida

  • Published:
Sexuality Research and Social Policy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This exploratory, qualitative study examined the perspectives of 22 lesbian and gay parents (15 female and seven male) who were residents of Florida while the state’s gay adoption ban was in effect and who had adopted or were in the process of adopting a child. Participants were interviewed about their experiences before and after the lifting of the gay adoption ban, which occurred in 2010. Participants described numerous negative consequences of the ban, including the inability to adopt foster children and the legal invisibility of one partner’s parental status (e.g., among lesbian couples who had become parents via donor insemination). Parents described various positive changes that occurred in their families once the ban was lifted, such as a profound sense of relief for parents and their children, as well as legal recognition of both partners as parents. Our findings highlight the negative consequences of discriminatory legislation on lesbian/gay-parent families, as well as some subsequent positive effects once such legislation is removed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. This group includes 9 women via DI, 1 woman via adoption in another state, 1 woman via legal guardianship, and 1 man via international adoption, and excludes the 10 participants who became parents after the lifting of the ban (7 via adoption and 3 via DI).

References

  • American Civil Liberties Union (June 4, 2001). ACLU fights Florida’s gay adoption ban. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights_hiv-aids/aclu-fights-floridas-gay-adoption-ban

  • Averett, P., Strong-Blakeney, A., Nalavany, B. A., & Ryan, S. D. (2011). Adoptive parents’ attitudes towards gay and lesbian adoption. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 7, 30–48. doi:10.1080/1550428X.2011.537211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (2003). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and methods. New York: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the family as a context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22, 723–742. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.22.6.723.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buffie, W. C. (2011). Public health implications of same-sex marriage. American Journal of Public Health, 101, 986–990. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2010.300112.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Connolly, C. (2002). The voice of the petitioner: The experiences of gay and lesbian parents in successful second-parent adoption proceedings. Law & Society Review, 36, 325–346. doi:10.2307/1512179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Federle, K. (2005). When second-parent adoption is not an option. Adoption Quarterly, 9, 79–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frank, G. (2013). “The civil rights of parents”: Race and conservative politics in Anita Bryant’s campaign against gay rights in 1970s Florida. Journal of the History of Sexuality, 22, 126–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gates, G., & Cooke, A. (2010). Florida Census Snapshot: 2010. Los Angeles: The Williams Institute at UCLA. http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Census2010Snapshot_Florida_v2.pdf

  • Gill v. Florida. 5006172 WL. (Fla., Dade Co. Cir. Nov 25, 2008).

  • Goldberg, A. E. (2010). Lesbian and gay parents and their children: Research on the family life cycle. Washington: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, A. E. (2012). Gay dads: Transitions to adoptive fatherhood. New York: NYU Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, A. E., & Smith, J. Z. (2011). Stigma, social context, and mental health: Lesbian and gay couples across the transition to adoptive parenthood. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58, 139–150. doi:10.1037/a0021684.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, A. E., & Kuvalanka, K. A. (2012). Marriage (in)equality: The perspectives of adolescents and emerging adults with lesbian, gay, and bisexual parents. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74, 34–52. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2011.00876.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, A. E., Moyer, A. M., Kinkler, L., & Richardson, H. B. (2012). “When you’re sitting on the fence, hope’s the hardest part”: Experiences and challenges of lesbian, gay, and heterosexual couples adopting through the child welfare system. Adoption Quarterly, 15, 1–28. doi:10.1080/10926755.2012.731032.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hatzenbuehler, M., McLaughlin, K., Keyes, K., & Hasin, D. (2010). The impact of institutional discrimination on psychiatric disorders in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: A prospective study. American Journal of Public Health, 100, 452–459. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.168815.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hatzenbuehler, M., O'Cleirigh, C., Grasso, C., Mayer, K., Safren, S., & Bradford, J. (2012). Effect of same-sex marriage laws on health care use and expenditures in sexual minority men: A quasi-natural experiment. American Journal of Public Health, 102, 285–291. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300382.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herdt, G., & Kertzner, R. (2006). I do, but I can’t: The impact of marriage denial on the mental health and sexual citizenship of lesbians and gay men in the United States. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 3, 33–49. doi:10.1525/srsp.2006.3.1.33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hequembourg, A., & Farrell, M. (1999). Lesbian motherhood: Negotiating marginal and mainstream identities. Gender and Society, 13, 540–557. doi:10.1177/089124399013004007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Human Rights Campaign. (2012). Parenting laws: Joint adoption. Retrieved from the Human Rights Campaign. http://www.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/

  • Kinkler, L. A., & Goldberg, A. E. (2011). Working with what we’ve got: Perceptions of barriers and supports among same-sex adopting couples in non-metropolitan areas. Family Relations, 60, 387–403. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2011.00654.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knauer, N. (2012). Legal consciousness and LGBT research: The role of law in the everyday lives of LGBT individuals. Journal of Homosexuality, 59, 748–756.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meezan, W., & Rauch, J. (2005). Gay marriage, same-sex parenting, and America’s children. The Future of Children, 15, 97–115. doi:10.1353/foc.2005.0018.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, I. (1995). Minority stress and mental health in gay men. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36, 38–56. doi:10.2307/2137286.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, I., Ouellette, S., Haile, R., & McFarlane, T. (2011). “We’d be free”: Narratives of life without homophobia, racism, or sexism. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 8, 204–214. doi:10.1007/s13178-011-0063-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Center for Lesbian Rights. (2008). Lifelines: Documents to protect you and your family. Retrieved from National Center for Lesbian Rights. http://www.nclrights.org/site/DocServer/NCLR_LIFELINES.pdf?docID=521

  • Oswald, R. (2002). Resilience within the family networks of lesbians and gay men: Intentionality and redefinition. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 374–383. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2002.00374.x

  • Oswald, R., & Culton, L. (2003). Under the rainbow: Rural gay life and its relevance for family providers. Family Relations, 52, 72–79. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2003.00072.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oswald, R., & Kuvalanka, K. (2008). Same-sex couples: Legal complexities. Journal of Family Issues, 29, 1051–1066. doi:10.1177/0192513X08316274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. (2002). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramos, V. M. (October 22, 2010). Florida won’t challenge end to gay adoption ban. Orlando Sentinel. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-10-22/news/os-gay-adoption-florida-20101022_1_gay-adoption-ban-martin-gill-gay-adovocates

  • Richman, K. D. (2005). (When) are rights wrong? Rights discourses and indeterminacy in gay and lesbian parents’ custody cases. Law & Social Inquiry, 30, 137–176. doi:10.1111/j.1747-4469.2005.tb00348.x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riggle, E., Rostosky, S., & Horne, S. (2010). Psychological distress, well-being, and legal recognition in same-sex couple relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 24, 82–86. doi:10.1037/a0017942.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ritter, M. (2010). Adoption by same-sex couples: Public policy issues in Texas law and practice. Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights, 15, 235–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rostosky, S. S., Riggle, E. D. B., Horne, S. G., & Miller, A. D. (2009). Marriage amendments and psychological distress in lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56, 56–66. doi:10.1037/a0013609.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothblum, E. D., Balsam, K. F. and Solomon, S. E. (2011). The longest “legal” U.S. same-sex couples reflect on their relationships. Journal of Social Issues, 67, 302–315. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.2011.01699.x

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, D., Peterson, C., & Stewart, A. (2009). Legal and social contexts and mental health among lesbian and heterosexual mothers. Journal of Family Psychology, 23, 255–262. doi:10.1037/a0014973.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, J. (2013). The law governing LGBT-parent families. In A. E. Goldberg & K. R. Allen (Eds.), LGBT-parent families: Innovations in research and implications for practice (pp. 291–304). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sioco, M. (2009, December). What makes a family? A closer look at gay adoption. Retrieved from Child Welfare League of America website. http://www.cwla.org/voice/ND09family.html

  • Third District Court of Appeal State of Florida, July Term, A.D. 2010 Florida Department of Children and Families, Appellant, vs. In re: Matter of Adoption of X.X.G. and N.R.G. Appellees.

  • Unknown author. (2008). Prohibition against adoption by homosexuals is unconstitutional. The Family Law Reporter, 35, 1051–1052

  • Unknown author. (2009). Bar didn't violate free speech by letting section file amicus brief on gay adoption. The Family Law Reporter, 35, 1379–1380

  • Walters, C. (2009). Ban on gay adoption is ruled unconstitutional, Florida judge rules. Trial, 45, 65–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wight, R. G., LeBlanc, A. J., DeVries, B., & Detels, R. (2012). Stress and mental health among mid-life and older gay-identified men. American Journal of Public Health, 102, 503–510. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300384.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA, 01610, USA

    Abbie E. Goldberg, April M. Moyer & Elizabeth R. Weber

  2. Seattle University School of Law, 901 12th Avenue, Sullivan Hall 451, PO Box 222000, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA

    Julie Shapiro

Authors
  1. Abbie E. Goldberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. April M. Moyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Elizabeth R. Weber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Julie Shapiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abbie E. Goldberg.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Goldberg, A.E., Moyer, A.M., Weber, E.R. et al. What Changed When the Gay Adoption Ban was Lifted?: Perspectives of Lesbian and Gay Parents in Florida. Sex Res Soc Policy 10, 110–124 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-013-0120-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-013-0120-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation