Gay parents are good parents, study finds

GlobalPost

And the best parents are... not determined by their sexual orientation, according to preliminary findings from the world's biggest study on gay parenting

The research being done at Australia's Melbourne University found no major difference in the well-being of children raised by gay couples and those raised by straight couples, according to The Age.

The Australian Study of Child Health in Same-Sex Families studied 500 children nationwide, reportedly making it the largest study on the topic so far. 

Lead researcher Dr Simon Crouch told Salon he thinks communication skills play a significant role.

“Because of the situation that same-sex families find themselves in, they are generally more willing to communicate and approach the issues that any child may face at school, like teasing or bullying,” he said.

Indeed, the children of same-sex couples actually out-scored their counterparts in heterosexual households on comprehensive health and family harmony. 

The study also involved 315 gay, lesbian and bisexual parents, 80 percent of whom were women.

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