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Gay Fathers’ Involvement in their Young Children’s Lives

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Father Involvement in Young Children’s Lives

Part of the book series: Educating the Young Child ((EDYC,volume 6))

Abstract

As the contemporary fathering and family landscape grows increasingly more complex, a growing body of scholars are beginning to expand knowledge on the social matrix of men’s relationships with children by exploring the experiences of gay men as potential and active fathers. This chapter provides an overview of the existing empirical and theoretical scholarship on gay fathers and their involvement with children. In addition to reviewing the dominant themes in the literature, we detail the changing legalities facing gay fathers and their families, suggest implications for policy makers and practitioners, and offer practical resources for educators.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In 2008, a Miami-Dade circuit court judge ruled that this statute was unconstitutional, thus allowing some adoptions by gay individuals to take place in the state of Florida since the ruling; however, the ruling is currently under appeal and the statute remains on the books (Almanzar 2008).

  2. 2.

    In 2010, a Pulaski County circuit court judge ruled that the statewide adoption ban was unconstitutional; however, the decision has been appealed to the state supreme court, and the ban remains in effect (http://www.hrc.org/issues/parenting/adoptions/953.htm).

  3. 3.

    Perhaps it is not surprising that partnered gay fathers may have more flexibility than lesbian mothers in their decision-making regarding whether one partner will stay at home with the children, given that male same-sex couples have higher household incomes on average than female same-sex couples (Gates 2009).

  4. 4.

    The legal landscape concerning partnership recognition for same-sex couples is changing rapidly. At the time of this writing, California's Proposition 8, a measure that effectively banned same-sex couples from entering into legally-recognized civil marriages in that state, was overturned by a U.S. District Court judge in August 2010, and a federal appeals court upheld that judge’s ruling in 2012; the courts have put a stay on civil marriages between same-sex couples in California until the appeal process has concluded; in 2012, both Washington State and Maryland legislatures passed laws allowing same-sex couples to marry–however, these laws did not take effect immediately and are being challenged in referendums (The New York Times 2012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies, Louisiana State University, 133 Stubbs Hall, 70803, Baton Rouge, USA,

    Dana Berkowitz

  2. Miami University of Ohio, 101 McGuffey Hall, FSW, 45056, Oxford, USA,

    Katherine A. Kuvalanka

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  1. Dana Berkowitz
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  2. Katherine A. Kuvalanka
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Correspondence to Dana Berkowitz .

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  1. , Department of Teacher Education, California State University, Bellflower Boulevard 1250, Long Beach, 90840-2201, California, USA

    Jyotsna Pattnaik

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Berkowitz, D., Kuvalanka, K. (2013). Gay Fathers’ Involvement in their Young Children’s Lives. In: Pattnaik, J. (eds) Father Involvement in Young Children’s Lives. Educating the Young Child, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5155-2_6

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