Walter Schumm

Last updated
Walter Schumm
BornJanuary 9, 1951
Education College of William and Mary
Purdue University
OccupationAcademic
Employer Kansas State University
Children7

Walter R. Schumm (born January 9, 1951) [1] is a professor in the Department of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University. He was also an editor-in-chief of the academic journal Marriage & Family Review . [2] Much of Schumm's research purports to find negative effects of same-sex parenting, although his work has been criticized for its methodology. [3] [4] [5] [6] In 2010, he gave "expert evidence" in a Florida court against a gay man who challenged the state's ban on LGBT adoption. [3]

Contents

Education

Schumm received his B.S. in physics from the College of William and Mary in 1972, his M.S. in Family and Child Development from Kansas State University in 1976, and his Ph.D. in Family Studies from Purdue University in 1979. [7]

Career

For 30 years (1972-2002), Schumm served as a colonel in the United States Army Reserve and Army National Guard. He joined the faculty of Kansas State University in 1979. [7]

Research

Schumm is known for his research on the alleged adverse effects of LGBT parenting, and the state of Florida called on him to give expert testimony in support of their same-sex marriage ban when it was challenged in court in 2008. [3] For example, in 2010, he published a study in the Journal of Biosocial Science claiming that homosexual parents are more likely than non-homosexual parents to have homosexual children, although the effect was not significant for males. [8] [5]

In November 2012, he wrote a commentary in defense of the methodology of Mark Regnerus' New Family Structures Study (NFSS), which was originally published earlier that year and which claimed that children of same-sex parents were less likely to succeed later in life. Writing in the same journal ( Social Science Research ) that originally published the NFSS, Schumm claimed that "the methodological decisions [Regnerus] made in the design and implementation of the New Family Structures Survey were not uncommon among social scientists, including many progressive, gay and lesbian scholars." Other academics subsequently criticized Schumm because he had served as a paid consultant to the NFSS early in its development. [9]

In 2018, Schumm was given the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who's Who, a biography publishing company. [10]

Schumm was on the editorial board of the Empirical Journal of Same-Sex Sexual Behavior, a journal founded by anti-LGBT extremist Paul Cameron. [5] The Windy City Times has described Schumm's views as "anti-gay". [11]

Personal life

Schumm is married and has seven children. [1] Among his children is Jonathan Schumm, a former member of the Topeka City Council who resigned in April 2016 when he was facing torture and child abuse charges. [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric comprises themes, catchphrases, and slogans that have been used in order to demean lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people. They range from the demeaning and the pejorative to expressions of hostility towards homosexuality which are based on religious, medical, or moral grounds. It is widely considered a form of hate speech, which is illegal in countries such as the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.

Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of heterosexuality and heterosexual relationships. According to Elizabeth Cramer, it can include the belief that all people are or should be heterosexual and that heterosexual relationships are the only norm and therefore superior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homosexuality and psychology</span> Homosexuality as studied by the field of psychology

The field of psychology has extensively studied homosexuality as a human sexual orientation. The American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality in the DSM-I in 1952 as a "sociopathic personality disturbance," but that classification came under scrutiny in research funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. That research and subsequent studies consistently failed to produce any empirical or scientific basis for regarding homosexuality as anything other than a natural and normal sexual orientation that is a healthy and positive expression of human sexuality. As a result of this scientific research, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the DSM-II in 1973. Upon a thorough review of the scientific data, the American Psychological Association followed in 1975 and also called on all mental health professionals to take the lead in "removing the stigma of mental illness that has long been associated" with homosexuality. In 1993, the National Association of Social Workers adopted the same position as the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association, in recognition of scientific evidence. The World Health Organization, which listed homosexuality in the ICD-9 in 1977, removed homosexuality from the ICD-10 which was endorsed by the 43rd World Health Assembly on 17 May 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Family Research Council</span> American evangelical activist group

The Family Research Council (FRC) is an American evangelical 501(c)(3) non-profit activist group and think-tank with an affiliated lobbying organization. FRC promotes what it considers to be family values. It opposes and lobbies against access to pornography, embryonic stem-cell research, abortion, divorce, and LGBT rights—such as anti-discrimination laws, same-sex marriage, same-sex civil unions, and LGBT adoption. The FRC has been criticized by media sources and professional organizations such as the American Sociological Association for using "anti-gay pseudoscience" to falsely conflate homosexuality and pedophilia, and to falsely claim that the children of same-sex parents suffer from more mental health problems.

Same-sex adoption is the adoption of children by same-sex couples. It may take the form of a joint adoption by the couple, or of the adoption by one partner of the other's biological child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Cameron</span> American psychologist and extremist (born 1939)

Paul Drummond Cameron is an American psychologist. While employed at various institutions, including the University of Nebraska, he conducted research on passive smoking, but he is best known today for his claims about homosexuality. After a successful 1982 campaign against a gay rights proposal in Lincoln, Nebraska, he established the Institute for the Scientific Investigation of Sexuality (ISIS), now known as the Family Research Institute (FRI). As FRI's chairman, Cameron has written contentious papers asserting unproven associations between homosexuality and the perpetration of child sexual abuse and reduced life expectancy. These have been heavily criticized and frequently discredited by others in the field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights opposition</span> Opposition to legal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people

Opposition to legal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people exists throughout the world. LGBTQ rights opponents may be opposed to the decriminalization of homosexuality; laws permitting civil unions or partnerships or supporting LGBT parenting and adoption, LGBT military members, access to assisted reproductive technology, and access to gender-affirming surgery and gender-affirming hormone therapy for transgender individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homosexuality</span> Sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender

Homosexuality is sexual attraction, romantic attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exclusively to people of the same sex or gender. It "also refers to a person's sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Same-sex parenting</span> Parenting of children by same-sex couples

Same-sex parenting is the parenting of children by same-sex couples generally consisting of gays or lesbians who are often in civil partnerships, domestic partnerships, civil unions, or same-sex marriages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Same-sex relationship</span> Romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex

A same-sex relationship is a romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. Same-sex marriage refers to the institutionalized recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage; civil unions may exist in countries where same-sex marriage does not.

In re: Gill is a landmark Florida court case that in 2010 ended Florida's 33-year ban on adoptions by homosexuals. In 2007, Frank Martin Gill, an openly gay man, had petitioned the circuit court to adopt two boys that he and his partner had been raising as foster children since 2004. Gill was prohibited from adopting by a 1977 Florida law prohibiting adoption by gay men and lesbians in that state. After a four-day trial challenging the law, on November 25, 2008, Judge Cindy S. Lederman declared the ban violated the equal protection rights of the children and their prospective parents under the Florida Constitution, and granted Gill's adoption request.

Homosexuality, as a phenomenon and as a behavior, has existed throughout all eras in human societies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American College of Pediatricians</span> Conservative advocacy group

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a socially conservative advocacy group of pediatricians and other healthcare professionals in the United States, founded in 2002. The group advocates in favor of abstinence-only sex education and conversion therapy, and advocates against vaccine mandates, abortion rights and rights for LGBT people. As of 2022, its membership has been reported at about 700 physicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Kansas</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Kansas have federal protections, but many face some legal challenges on the state level that are not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Kansas under the US Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy laws that only apply to same-sex sexual acts. The state has prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations since 2020. Proposed bills restricting preferred gender identity on legal documents, bans on transgender people in women's sports, bathroom use restrictions, among other bills were vetoed numerous times by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly since 2021. However, many of Kelly's vetoes were overridden by the Republican supermajority in the Kansas legislature and became law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Family Institute</span> American Christian organization

The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) is a Christian organization based in Tinley Park, Illinois. Founded in 1990, its stated mission is "upholding and re-affirming marriage, family, life and liberty in Illinois", and it is affiliated with the American Family Association. The organization's legislative arm is the 501(c)(4) lobbying group Illinois Family Action, founded in 2010. The organization's executive director is David E. Smith, who in 2006, succeeded Peter LaBarbera, founder of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality.

Until 2017, laws related to LGBTQ+ couples adopting children varied by state. Some states granted full adoption rights to same-sex couples, while others banned same-sex adoption or only allowed one partner in a same-sex relationship to adopt the biological child of the other.

Mark Daniel Regnerus is a sociologist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin. His main fields of interest are sexual behavior, relationship dynamics, and religion.

The New Family Structures Study is a sociological study of LGBT parenting conducted by sociologist Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas at Austin. The study surveyed over 15,000 Americans of ages 18 to 39. The first research article based on data from the study was published in July 2012 in Social Science Research, and concluded that people who had had a parent who had been in a same-gender relationship were at a greater risk of several adverse outcomes, including "being on public assistance, being unemployed, and having poorer educational attainment."

DeBoer v. Snyder is a lawsuit that was filed by April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse on January 23, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, challenging Michigan's ban on adoption by same-sex couples so they can jointly adopt their children. In August 2012, Judge Bernard A. Friedman invited the couple to amend their suit to challenge the state's ban on same-sex marriage, "the underlying issue". Following a hearing on October 16, 2013, Friedman scheduled a trial that ran from February 25 to March 7, 2014. On March 21, Judge Friedman issued his ruling overturning the ban. On March 22, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit placed a temporary hold on Judge Friedman's ruling. The appeal was argued on August 6. On November 6, the Sixth Circuit reversed Judge Friedman and upheld Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage.

References

  1. 1 2 "Walter Schumm CV" (PDF). Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  2. "About this journal". Marriage & Family Review. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  3. 1 2 3 Mack, David (11 December 2015). "The "Witch Hunt" Barring Same-Sex Families From Adopting Children In Kansas". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  4. McEwan, Alvin (2010-10-18). "AOL Article Demonstrates the Deception of Anti-Gay Bad Science". HuffPost. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  5. 1 2 3 Schlatter, Evelyn (20 September 2012). "Anti-LGBT Propagandist Published Again in Academic Journal". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  6. Tedder, Ryan (2010-10-18). "Gay Parents 'Far More Likely' to Have Gay Kids, Says Questionable Science". Queerty. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  7. 1 2 "Walter Schumm". Kansas State University. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  8. SCHUMM, WALTER R. (20 July 2010). "Children of Homosexuals More Apt to be Homosexuals? A Reply to Morrison and to Cameron Based on an Examination of Multiple Sources of Data". Journal of Biosocial Science. 42 (6): 721–742. doi:10.1017/S0021932010000325. PMID   20642872.
  9. Straumsheim, Carl (2 May 2013). "A Reviewer's Conflict". Inside Higher Education. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  10. Medved, Chelsi (November 16, 2018). "Schumm awarded lifetime achievement award by Marquis Who's Who". K-State Today. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  11. "Anti-gay caught hiring from Rentboy.com". Windy City Times. April 5, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2022. Reker and his equally anti-gay colleague Walter Schumm were the only witnesses the state bothered to call.
  12. Llopis-Jensen, Celia (7 December 2015). "Schumm's father testified in landmark case on same-sex adoption". Hays Daily News. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  13. Hrenchir (April 16, 2019). "Topeka City Councilman Jonathan Schumm resigns". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved June 7, 2022.