Just sharing...
Texas cities rank high for gay couples with kids
[SIZE=-1]11:26 AM CDT on Sunday, October 15, 2006[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Associated Press[/SIZE]
HOUSTON - Despite Texas' conservative reputation, gay couples living here are more likely to have children than in almost any other place in the country, according to a study published in "The Gay and Lesbian Atlas."
The study, based on the most recent U.S. Census data, found that San Antonio has the highest percentage of gay couples raising children in the nation. Houston is fourth and the Fort Worth-Arlington area is fifth.
One explanation is that minority same-sex couples are more likely to have children than white same-sex couples. Texas has a large Hispanic population, which might partially explain why its gay couples are more likely to have children, said Gary J. Gates, who co-authored the Atlas study.
Another possible explanation is that compared to their heterosexual counterparts, gay and lesbian couples tend to be "urban pioneers." They are more likely to live in racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods that have more college-educated residents, older housing, higher crime rates or higher property values, according to research in the Atlas.
Nationally, about 25 percent of gay couples have children living in their homes. And generally, same-sex couples and their children live in areas where other people also have kids, Gates said.
The children of gay couples consist of two groups: those born from a parent's previous heterosexual relationship and those whose parents started families through reproduction technology, such as artificial insemination, or adoption.
Experts say there have been "gayby booms" in the last 25 years. The first came in the 1980s when lesbian couples took advantage of new reproductive technology to have children. The second came during the 1990s, when gay men began to adopt, said Beth Teper, executive director of the San Francisco-based organization Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere.
The study looked at children who are being raised by at least one biological parent, as well as children who were adopted by same-sex couples.
Mitchell Katine, a lawyer who helped overturn the state's sodomy law, said there is a clear difference between the state's conservative politics and its more liberal social practices.
However, there are still social obstacles facing gay couples looking to adopt, Katine said.
No evidence exists that indicates gays are unfit to be parents because of their sexual orientation, according to the American Psychological Association.
Yet many gay couples looking to adopt avoid going through the more conservative courts of Harris County, Katine said. He went through a San Antonio judge to adopt his children.
Texas cities rank high for gay couples with kids
[SIZE=-1]11:26 AM CDT on Sunday, October 15, 2006[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Associated Press[/SIZE]
HOUSTON - Despite Texas' conservative reputation, gay couples living here are more likely to have children than in almost any other place in the country, according to a study published in "The Gay and Lesbian Atlas."
The study, based on the most recent U.S. Census data, found that San Antonio has the highest percentage of gay couples raising children in the nation. Houston is fourth and the Fort Worth-Arlington area is fifth.
One explanation is that minority same-sex couples are more likely to have children than white same-sex couples. Texas has a large Hispanic population, which might partially explain why its gay couples are more likely to have children, said Gary J. Gates, who co-authored the Atlas study.
Another possible explanation is that compared to their heterosexual counterparts, gay and lesbian couples tend to be "urban pioneers." They are more likely to live in racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods that have more college-educated residents, older housing, higher crime rates or higher property values, according to research in the Atlas.
Nationally, about 25 percent of gay couples have children living in their homes. And generally, same-sex couples and their children live in areas where other people also have kids, Gates said.
The children of gay couples consist of two groups: those born from a parent's previous heterosexual relationship and those whose parents started families through reproduction technology, such as artificial insemination, or adoption.
Experts say there have been "gayby booms" in the last 25 years. The first came in the 1980s when lesbian couples took advantage of new reproductive technology to have children. The second came during the 1990s, when gay men began to adopt, said Beth Teper, executive director of the San Francisco-based organization Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere.
The study looked at children who are being raised by at least one biological parent, as well as children who were adopted by same-sex couples.
Mitchell Katine, a lawyer who helped overturn the state's sodomy law, said there is a clear difference between the state's conservative politics and its more liberal social practices.
However, there are still social obstacles facing gay couples looking to adopt, Katine said.
No evidence exists that indicates gays are unfit to be parents because of their sexual orientation, according to the American Psychological Association.
Yet many gay couples looking to adopt avoid going through the more conservative courts of Harris County, Katine said. He went through a San Antonio judge to adopt his children.
). I think it might be because it is such a melting pot for different cultures (it is only 2.5 hours from the border, and there are large amounts of asians and african americans as well). We tend to get a bad reputation for being backward hicks, but that's really not the case if you actually visit. Just my thoughts!
