The Struggles of Being LGBTQ+ Parents
Chapter 30 of the course reading discusses the topic of LGBTQ+ families and the additional effort and barriers that LGBTQ+ parents must cross to create and maintain families. Some of the barriers that the chapter lists are confronting stigma and having a child in a same-sex relationship.
In their video titled "Fears of Being LGBTQ+ Parents," (start 4 minutes and 26 seconds in) two LGBTQ+ couples share their fears and concerns about becoming parents in the near future. Throughout their video, they discuss parenthood on a very intersectional level, taking into account how their individual genders, races, and disabilities will affect their journey through parenthood. The first couple is Jessica and Claudia; both of which identify as cisgender lesbians. The second couple is Jammie and Shaaba; Jammie is a transgender male and identifies as bisexual and Shaaba is a cisgender female who identifies as pansexual.
Specifically focusing on their concerns related to being LGBTQ+ parents, one of their biggest concerns was the question of if their children would be biologically related to them. This expands upon what chapter 30 mentions, into concerns that their children will not love them or their extended family will not love a non-biological child. Jammie also shares that he has a fear that his children will reject him because he is transgender, which is not a concern that cisgender couples even think of. One of the biggest concerns from both couples about having children is the price. Fertility treatments are incredibly expensive and are often not covered for LGBTQ+ couples by insurance, or in their case, the NHS. The two couples also expand on the topic of social concerns brought up in the chapter. Jessica and Claudia currently live in Brighton which is incredibly inclusive, however they have considered moving to a small village, but they do not want their children to be the outsiders. In addition, the couples experience judgement when they want to go to the effort of having biological children when adoption is a possibility, though they argue that the idea should hold the same for heterosexual couple who experience infertility. Therefore, they experience prejudice because of their sexuality.
Concept Reference:
Moore, M.R., & Stambolis-Ruhstorfer, M. (2013). “LGBT sexuality and families at the start of the twenty-first century*.” In M. L. Andersen & P. H. Collins (Eds.), Race, class, & gender: Intersections and inequalities (pp. 284-292). Boston, MA: Cengage.
In their video titled "Fears of Being LGBTQ+ Parents," (start 4 minutes and 26 seconds in) two LGBTQ+ couples share their fears and concerns about becoming parents in the near future. Throughout their video, they discuss parenthood on a very intersectional level, taking into account how their individual genders, races, and disabilities will affect their journey through parenthood. The first couple is Jessica and Claudia; both of which identify as cisgender lesbians. The second couple is Jammie and Shaaba; Jammie is a transgender male and identifies as bisexual and Shaaba is a cisgender female who identifies as pansexual.
Specifically focusing on their concerns related to being LGBTQ+ parents, one of their biggest concerns was the question of if their children would be biologically related to them. This expands upon what chapter 30 mentions, into concerns that their children will not love them or their extended family will not love a non-biological child. Jammie also shares that he has a fear that his children will reject him because he is transgender, which is not a concern that cisgender couples even think of. One of the biggest concerns from both couples about having children is the price. Fertility treatments are incredibly expensive and are often not covered for LGBTQ+ couples by insurance, or in their case, the NHS. The two couples also expand on the topic of social concerns brought up in the chapter. Jessica and Claudia currently live in Brighton which is incredibly inclusive, however they have considered moving to a small village, but they do not want their children to be the outsiders. In addition, the couples experience judgement when they want to go to the effort of having biological children when adoption is a possibility, though they argue that the idea should hold the same for heterosexual couple who experience infertility. Therefore, they experience prejudice because of their sexuality.
Concept Reference:
Moore, M.R., & Stambolis-Ruhstorfer, M. (2013). “LGBT sexuality and families at the start of the twenty-first century*.” In M. L. Andersen & P. H. Collins (Eds.), Race, class, & gender: Intersections and inequalities (pp. 284-292). Boston, MA: Cengage.
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