Sociology Q:
The issues of g-a-y adoption is a timely and relevantsociological phenomena. Many g-a-y men and women, in couples andnot, are raising children in America. It is estimated thatapproximately three million children are being raised in homes withg-a-y parents. Many of them are raised by their biological parents,but many are adopted. Despite the inconsistent adoption lawsthroughout the country, this trend does not seem to be slowing. Inaddition to the unequal parenting and marriage laws that stillexist, g-a-y parents face discrimination on a number of levels.
The film Daddy & Papa chronicles the lives of someof these families. Although you can not view the entire filmonline, you can view five clips from the filmhttp://www.daddyandpapa.com/  where you can also read anoverview of the film. Additionally, please visithttp://www.pbs.org/independentlens/daddyandpapa/families.html  toread biographies & quotes from the families that are featuredin the film. As you are reviewing this information and the filmclips pay close attention to issues of gender, race & sexualityas they are experienced by the parents and children in thefilm.
Consider the following questions for your discussion:
What are some of the specific challenges that g-a-y parentsface? How does the sexual orientation of parents impact thesocialization experiences of children? How do g-a-y parents dealwith the additional challenges of inter-racial adoption? How arethe experiences of these families a reflection of some of theconcepts of gender or racial discrimination and heterosexism? Howcan society more effectively support these families?
