Exploring the Gender Roles and Parenting Attitudes of LGBTQ Parents: Implications for Counselors

Internalized values related to the central roles, responsibilities, and attributes of parenting can have significant impacts on parental mental health, parent-child relationships, parenting behaviors, and child outcomes. However, to date, research has almost exclusively focused on cisgender and heterosexual parents, with little focus on the attitudes and experiences of LGBTQ parents. To address this gap, the authors of this study surveyed a sample of LGBTQ parents (n = 242) and discovered significant relationships between demographic factors, gender norm endorsement, and intensive parenting attitudes. Considerations for counseling and directions for future research are explored.