Parenting Desires and Sexual Identities

0568300 - SOÚ 2023 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Vohlídalová, Marta - Maříková, Hana
Parenting Desires and Sexual Identities.
Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review. Roč. 58, č. 6 (2022), s. 603-635. ISSN 0038-0288. E-ISSN 0038-0288
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA18-07456S
Institutional support: RVO:68378025
Keywords : parenting desires * sexual identities * LGB individuals * Czech Republic/Czechia * CEE country * survey methodology
OECD category: Sociology
Impact factor: 0.4, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://sreview.soc.cas.cz/artkey/csr-202206-0001_parenting-desires-and-sexual-identities.php

The paper asks how parenting desires are associated with the construction of sexual identity and what factors most influence whether gays/lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals declaring same-sex attraction want to have (more) children. The subject has been explored mainly in the Western liberal and gay-family-friendly legislation and social environment so far. Our study was conducted in the Czech Republic, a CEE country where sexual minorities face strong legal and social barriers to non-heterosexual parenthood. In an online survey (N = 882) conducted in 2019 among self-identified gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual people with same-sex attraction, we found a considerable gap in parenting desires by sexual identity. Parenting desires are weaker among homosexuals, especially men, while bisexuals are closer to heterosexuals in their parenting desires. Our research suggests that in the context of discussions of parenthood Czech women are unwilling to identify as lesbians and opt instead to claim a different sexual identity. Our findings indicate that the structural barriers to parenthood thus play a much more important role than the overall liberal-minded atmosphere in the Czech Republic.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0339625