Rainbow families at a glance
What is a Rainbow (or LGBTQ+) family?
In a Rainbow family, one or both parents or caregivers identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or another identity within the spectrum of gender and/or queerness. Each family is unique in its structure, assets, needs, and relationships.
What are Rainbow families like?
- Rainbow families exist in every configuration, from married spouses and separated or divorced parents to blended families, single-parent families and families led by extended family members.
- They live at every socioeconomic level.
- Rainbow families are more racially and ethnically diverse than the general population.
- They are more likely to live in rural, politically conservative regions of the U.S. that are less accepting and supportive of LGBTQ+ people.
- They often experience multiple forms of discrimination—including racism, sexism and anti-LGBTQ+ hate—that are underrecognized and poorly understood by others.
What do we know about children raised in Rainbow families?
- Children raised in Rainbow families enjoy parent/child relationships that are as loving and supportive as the parent/child relationships of their peers.
- They have the same developmental, academic and social-emotional outcomes as children raised in other types of families.
- They are no more likely to be LGBTQ+ than other children, but they may feel freer to express their identities.
- They have the same mental health outcomes as children raised by straight parents.
Why am I hearing more about LGBTQ+ families in my school community and in the news?
In recent decades, the number of children growing up in Rainbow families has increased dramatically. Why? Attitudes and laws have changed around the globe, creating a more favorable sociopolitical climate for LGBTQ+ families, as well as expanded access to adoption and assisted reproduction. You might be surprised to learn that up to 3.7 million children in the U.S. today are being raised by parents who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community. That’s a big number—and it’s expected to get bigger as more LGBTQ+ millennials become parents.