
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, December 4, 1993                   TAG: 9312040258
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: associated press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

EXPERTS ASK COURT TO ALLOW LESBIAN CUSTODY

The world's largest psychological association is asking the Virginia Court of Appeals to allow a lesbian to retain custody of her son, saying research shows sexual orientation does not affect parenting abilities.

The American Psychological Association, in a brief filed with the court, also argued that removing the 2-year-old from his mother was not in the child's best interest.

"Sexual orientation should not be a sole or primary factor in deciding any aspect of parental rights," the APA's Clinton Anderson said Friday. "Our hope is good information based on empirical research, not bias, has an impact on the court."

A Henrico County Circuit judge in September awarded custody of Tyler Doustou to his grandmother, Kay Bottoms, because his mother, Sharon Bottoms, is a lesbian.

The psychologists' association reviewed studies on parenting abilities of lesbian mothers compared with heterosexual mothers, and on children of gays and lesbians compared with other children.

"There are no significant differences in psychological adjustment or mental health," Anderson said.

In fact, the latest study on lesbian mothers shows they score significantly higher than heterosexuals on the Parent Awareness Skills Survey, which measures sensitivity to common childhood problems, the association reported.

by CNB