Growing up with a lesbian or gay parent: young people's perspectives

Drawing on life story approaches, this paper reports on a qualitative content analysis of 67 published accounts in the UK, USA and New Zealand of young people and adults reflecting on their experiences of growing up with one or more lesbian or gay parent(s). Responses of the young people to their parent's sexuality were categorised as predominantly positive, neutral, ambivalent and somewhat negative. Young people reported that they had experienced homophobic attitudes and behaviours in one or more of three domains: general and institutional, within the family, and from peers/friends and other parents. The implications of the analysis for social care and social work practice in the UK context with this group of children and their families are discussed.