Preservice elementary teachers' attitudes toward gay and lesbian parenting

This preliminary investigation assessed preservice elementary teachers' attitudes toward homosexual parents and their children. The study population included 195 college students enrolled in an elementary school health methods course at a large north-eastern university. A 51-item ''Gay and Lesbian Parenting Questionnaire'' was used for data collection purposes. Reliability estimates for the scales were: attitudes toward lesbians and gay men (alpha = .90), comfort toward gay and lesbian families (alpha = .92), and knowledge about homosexuality (alpha = .52). Most respondents agreed gay men: were not disgusting, should be allowed to ranch, were not perverted, and should nor overcome their feelings of homosexuality,Most respondents disagreed lesbians cannot fit into society or were sick. Nearly all agreed female homosexuality should not be a basis for job discrimination. Females were significantly (p < .001) more comfortable with gay or lesbian parents and their children than were males. Females had significantly (p < .01) more favorable attitudes toward gay fathers than did male respondents. Respondents with stronger religious attitudes had significantly (p < .01) more negative attitudes toward lesbian parents than respondents with weaker religious attitudes.