同性戀者的親密關係與家庭功能之剖析

An Overview of Intimate Relationships and Family Functions of Lesbians and Gay Men

近年來，台灣社會有越來越多對同性戀者婚姻權與子女撫養權的公眾討論，本紀要整理國內外研究發現，針對同性戀者關係經營與家庭型態的研究統整說明，期能增進一般社會大眾與學者對於同性戀族群的正確認識。本文分從三個層面切入，總結為以下三點：第一、耕耘長期關係和經營家庭的意願與性取向無關。同性戀伴侶與家庭面臨的最大壓力來自於社會對同性戀者的敵意與恐懼。然而即使在這樣的劣勢下，仍有許多同性戀者願意耕耘長期關係並努力地經營家庭。第二、同性戀家庭教養的孩子，無論在自我認知、能力表現或親子關係品質上，都與異性戀家庭教養的孩子一樣好。兩類家庭比較顯著的差別在於，同性戀家庭的孩子性別刻板印象較少，這或許是因為許多同性戀者的親身經歷，使他們在教養孩子時，比較不會以性別框架限制孩子。第三、通過對同性戀者基本權益的保障，社會可以彰顯重要的正向價值，例如鼓勵經營長期關係、教養子女。更積極的意義在於，當同性戀者與同性戀家庭不再承受偏見與歧視，人們或許可以學習更具彈性的性別概念，甚至可以撼動男尊女卑的傳統文化觀點。

In recent years, there has been increasing public debate regarding marriage and adoption rights for lesbians and gay men. With this concern, this article reviews research findings on lesbians' and gay men's intimate relationships and family functions in Taiwan and abroad. The purpose of this review is to increase understanding of lesbians and gay men both for the general public and for scholars. The current article targets three issues. First of all, lesbians and gay men are as willing and capable of establishing and maintaining long-term relationships and families as are heterosexuals. The tremendous pressures faced by lesbian and gay couples originate in the general public's hostility and homophobia. Despite this, lesbian and gay couples are able to adopt flexible gender schemas in maintaining relationships and families. Secondly, children raised by lesbian and gay couples are as well-functioning as children raised by heterosexual couples (e.g., in self-knowledge, abilities, and performance, as well as parent-child relationship quality). Moreover, children raised by lesbian and gay couples are more flexible in terms of adopting gender roles, and are less likely to be limited by gender stereotypes. Thirdly, allowing lesbians and gay men rights to marry and to raise children could facilitate important Taiwanese values, such as maintaining long-term relationships and establishing families. More optimistically, when lesbian and gay families are viewed without prejudice, we may have the chance to learn more flexible gender schema, and to question the legitimacy of the old-fashioned male superiority over women rooted in the traditional Chinese culture.