In 2004-2005, sociologist Bergstrom-Lynch interviewed 61 mostly white LGBT individuals from Michigan and Massachusetts about children and parenthood. All were in committed relationships; about half were parents, half were child-free. The current 'gayby boom' was then underway, and Bergstrom-Lynch quizzed her subjects about why they wanted or did not want children, their joint decision-making processes, their strategies to acquire children, and their concerns about public reactions to their LGBT parenthood and abuse their children might face. As LGBT stigma has faded and same-sex marriage declared legal, she speculates whether the recent mainstreaming of LGBT families serves to maintain conventional American expectations of persons, marriage, and parenthood. She certainly documents Americans' preference for biologically related children over adoption among gay and straight alike. Despite social pressure to parent, many LGBT couples still remain content to dote on nieces and nephews or dogs and cats. Book chapters feature numerous extracts from interview transcripts that support Bergstrom-Lynch's analysis. Anyone contemplating LGBT parenthood will benefit from the personal experiences and insights documented here.
Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries.ts. Book chapters feature numerous extracts from interview transcripts that support Bergstrom-Lynch's analysis. Anyone contemplating LGBT parenthood will benefit from the personal experiences and insights documented here. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries.ts.
Book chapters feature numerous extracts from interview transcripts that support Bergstrom-Lynch's analysis. Anyone contemplating LGBT parenthood will benefit from the personal experiences and insights documented here. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries.ts. Book chapters feature numerous extracts from interview transcripts that support Bergstrom-Lynch's analysis. Anyone contemplating LGBT parenthood will benefit from the personal experiences and insights documented here. Summing Up: Recommended.
All levels/libraries.