Children and adolescents of lesbian and gay parents.

Lesbian and gay parenting is increasingly visible today in the media, in legal and policy debates, and in academic writings. Children and adolescents of gay and lesbian parents are also increasingly visible in their communities, their schools, and in the medical world. Social, cultural, and medical changes have made it possible for more women and men to have children outside traditional methods of conception. Child and adolescent psychiatrists work with these families at different developmental stages and in varied settings including offices, schools, and communities. In this article, we identify various pathways to family formation among lesbian and gay adults, discuss research findings about the families of lesbians and gay men, and offer suggestions for clinical work with youngsters who have lesbian and gay parents.