Gay-male couples who adopt: challenging historical and contemporary social trends toward becoming a family.

TOPIC: Gay-male couples who adopt children face ongoing challenges that stem from both historical and contemporary social issues.

PURPOSE: To examine and identify key points and guidance for advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurses regarding multicultural awareness involved in counseling gay-male couples who explore or exercise their right to adopt and raise children.

SOURCES: A comprehensive review of the extant scientific literature and public media, clinical anecdotes, therapeutic experiences, and an examination of Healthy People 2010 as it relates to how community health is profoundly affected by the collective beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of everyone who lives in the community.

CONCLUSIONS

Heterosexism, homophobic fears, oppression, and the general stigma that surround gay-male couples who choose to adopt children are a few of the relevant contemporary issues and community beliefs for which advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurses need to assess, explore, and intervene.