Ranking of stigmatization toward lesbians and their children and the influence of perceptions of controllability of homosexuality

Recent custody rulings in this country have indicated that lesbian mothers are viewed more negatively than other parents with stigmatizing attributes, e.g., a history of mental illness or criminality. The current study compar ed willingness to engage in relationships with a variety of adults with pot entially stigmatizing conditions (including lesbians) as well as the childr en of these, stigmatized individuals among a sample of college students. Th e hypothesis that perceived controllability of homosexuality would be relat ed to stigmatization of lesbians and their children was also tested. Findin gs included the following: (I) Participants reported a greater willingness to engage in relationships with children of stigmatized parents than with i ndividuals who personally possess a stigmatizing attribute; (2). Participan ts reported a greater willingness to engage in relationships with adults wi th physically based stigmas and their children than with adults with mental /behavioral stigmas :ind their children; and (3) Participants who reported a belief that homosexuality is a controllable condition were less willing t o engage in relationships with lesbians than respondents who reported a bel ief that homosexuality is uncontrollable. Discussion includes not only an e valuation of the results and limitations of the study, but also comments co ncerning judicial and societal stigmatization of lesbians and their childre n. (C) 2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.