Table 1 Demographic characteristics of the NLLFS adolescent sample

Characteristics NLLFS (n=78)a

Age (in years) M (SD) 17.05 (0.36)

Race/ethnicity

White adolescents 87.1%

Adolescents of colorb 12.9%

Hollingshead four-factor index of family social statusc

M (SD) 49.8 (10.2)

Range (min–max)d 18–66

Family region of residence (U.S.)e

Northeast 47%

Midwest 1%

South 9%

West 43%

Demographics skewed regionally.

It is hard to understand such skewing…unless there are significant limitations in how participants were garnered for the study.

Or more lesbian couples with children living in those regions? Or more visible lesbian families there? They do correspond to the blue areas on the sociopolitical map.

An important question is the control for SES,

When compared with age- and gender-matched adolescents of the National Survey of Family Growth, the study offspring were significantly older at the time of their first heterosexual contact, and the daughters of lesbian mothers were significantly more likely to have had same-sex contact.

The difference from this National survey strongly suggests that this is not a representative sample…

Now we can ridicule the study for all its flaws and call it a work of political activism…oops, that only happens here if it has to do with being ex-gay.

Research has documented considerable fluidity in the development and expression of sexual orientation, particularly among young women

Change is possible.