Homosexual Families and Parenting Across Cultures Not long ago in the United States the family was defined as; a couple, a man and a woman with children. Times have changed. Today people are moving away from this definition and are looking for a modern description of what family refers to. From divorced parents, to single parents, to childless families and gay parents, everyone is now included in this new definition. According to the National Census Bureau, “A household consists of two or more persons (one of whom is the head of the household) related by birth, marriage, or adoption who reside in the same dwelling unit” (US Census Bureau, 2010). Like everything in life, the family is changing. The percentage of non-traditional families is growing more and more. As mentioned before, same-sex families are an important part of this evolution. But many wonder; What is parenting? How do homosexual families differ from traditional families? And how do different countries view homosexual families? What is a family without parents? A good parent has the image of a provider. The parent is the one who meets all the material needs of the family. He who takes care that his children lack nothing. I work double shifts and weekends. A good parent has not yet satisfied present needs, when others have been created; he/she consumes himself feverishly. But he will still have time to enjoy the unique experience of watching children grow up. Having children is an important life event, regardless of the country in which they live. Children alter how men and women live and how they can allocate their time. Money is needed to support children, but there is also more to do in families with children. Historically, women have taken on the extra work created by children. Who begets who...... middle of paper ...... is a huge milestone for the Western world, the UK was one of the first countries to allow same sex couples to adopt or foster. Countries are realizing that same-sex parenting is no different from heterosexual parenting. More and more countries are passing laws making it legal for same-sex couples to marry and have children. In conclusion, it is important to be educated about same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption. Prejudice and discrimination due to ignorance must end. Statistics have shown that same-sex parenting is not harmful to children in any way, on the contrary it can be beneficial to children because same-sex couples tend to work as a team and be more accepting of what their parents want children. It's only a matter of time before more countries pass laws allowing same-sex couples to marry and have children.