Previous research on same-sex couples with children acknowledges that their parenting issues are similar to and yet different from their heterosexual counterparts. The literature does not examine, in an in-depth fashion, the challenges that same-sex parents face and how such challenges affect the lives of their families and relationships. This research examines the extent that same-sex parents reflect \"traditional\" family norms and behaviors, and how they socialize their children within the debate surrounding same-sex relationships. The author conducted and analyzed in-depth qualitative interviews from seven same-sex couples with children under the age of eighteen in the Southeastern Michigan area. It was found that there were a number of challenges same-sex parents encountered in the process of raising their children. This research suggests the need of a broader awareness of the challenges encountered by same-sex parents, and the manner that they meet these challenges in a world different from their parents.
","abstract_html":"<p>Previous research on same-sex couples with children acknowledges that their parenting issues are similar to and yet different from their heterosexual counterparts. The literature does not examine, in an in-depth fashion, the challenges that same-sex parents face and how such challenges affect the lives of their families and relationships. This research examines the extent that same-sex parents reflect "traditional" family norms and behaviors, and how they socialize their children within the debate surrounding same-sex relationships. The author conducted and analyzed in-depth qualitative interviews from seven same-sex couples with children under the age of eighteen in the Southeastern Michigan area. It was found that there were a number of challenges same-sex parents encountered in the process of raising their children. This research suggests the need of a broader awareness of the challenges encountered by same-sex parents, and the manner that they meet these challenges in a world different from their parents.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jendry, Allison"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Denise Reiling, Ph.D., Chair","Robert Orrange, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-11-30T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-11-30T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z","subjects":["families","sexual minorities","parenting","socialization","Sociology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/649","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Denise Reiling, Ph.D., Chair","Robert Orrange, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jendry, Allison"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-06-23T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["families","sexual minorities","parenting","socialization","Sociology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/649"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Previous research on same-sex couples with children acknowledges that their parenting issues are similar to and yet different from their heterosexual counterparts. The literature does not examine, in an in-depth fashion, the challenges that same-sex parents face and how such challenges affect the lives of their families and relationships. This research examines the extent that same-sex parents reflect \"traditional\" family norms and behaviors, and how they socialize their children within the debate surrounding same-sex relationships. The author conducted and analyzed in-depth qualitative interviews from seven same-sex couples with children under the age of eighteen in the Southeastern Michigan area. It was found that there were a number of challenges same-sex parents encountered in the process of raising their children. This research suggests the need of a broader awareness of the challenges encountered by same-sex parents, and the manner that they meet these challenges in a world different from their parents.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Reflections on the way we were raised: Socialization within a same-sex family"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Denise Reiling, Ph.D., Chair","Robert Orrange, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Jendry, Allison"],"dc:date.available":["2016-06-23T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Previous research on same-sex couples with children acknowledges that their parenting issues are similar to and yet different from their heterosexual counterparts. The literature does not examine, in an in-depth fashion, the challenges that same-sex parents face and how such challenges affect the lives of their families and relationships. This research examines the extent that same-sex parents reflect \"traditional\" family norms and behaviors, and how they socialize their children within the debate surrounding same-sex relationships. The author conducted and analyzed in-depth qualitative interviews from seven same-sex couples with children under the age of eighteen in the Southeastern Michigan area. It was found that there were a number of challenges same-sex parents encountered in the process of raising their children. This research suggests the need of a broader awareness of the challenges encountered by same-sex parents, and the manner that they meet these challenges in a world different from their parents.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/649"],"dc:subject":["families","sexual minorities","parenting","socialization","Sociology"],"dc:title":["Reflections on the way we were raised: Socialization within a same-sex family"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z"}