The study explores the reproductive decision-making of eight self-identified lesbian women in same-gendered relationships as it is interested in the ways in which they construct their reproductive decisions, particularly as it relates to their gender. Four open-ended, semi-structured, joint interviews were conducted with couples who have already made the decision to parent, thereby offering retrospective accounts. Interview transcriptions were analysed by employing thematic analysis underpinned by principles of Foucauldian discourse analysis and rooted in a feminist poststructuralist theory. Three discursive themes are identified in participants' accounts namely: 1) the discourse of heterosexual gender roles; 2) the discourse of heteronormative parenting; and 3) the counter-discourse of parental responsibility and the responsible parent. In a context where lesbian mothers' reproductive decisions are often called into question and where lesbian mothers' parental roles are constructed according to gender binaries, the study concludes that in exercising their limited agency within restrictive heteronormative discourse, participants made their reproductive decisions based on their ability to care for a child in terms of pragmatic factors, their capacity to meet the child's emotional needs and to protect them from potential "othering" by segments of the society. The findings of this study carry implications for addressing the marginalisation and stigmatisation of lesbian women who wish to become parents and raise their children without having to justify their decisions purely because of their sexual identity. / Mini Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

Thesis advisor: Eric Dearing / Despite global efforts toward improving gender equity in education, gender-based disparities in learning opportunities and academic outcomes are still prevalent. Many gender differences in learning and academic outcomes begin emerging early in life, even before children start formal schooling. Both theory and empirical evidence point toward children’s exposure to gender-differentiated treatment from caregivers that arises from gendered stereotypes, expectations, and cultural norms. As young children’s brains have evolved to detect the subtlest nuances in their environments, even small gender differences in learning experiences could have lasting consequences in their developmental trajectories and later-life outcomes. In turn, understanding gender disparities in early learning opportunities is critical to catalyzing young girls’ and boys’ positive learning trajectories from early on. A major challenge for the field, however, has been the very limited attention given to these issues in low- and- middle-income countries (LMICs), where about 90% of the world’s children live. The present dissertation consists of three empirical papers focused on young children in LMICs, providing significant contributions to the cumulative knowledge on gender differences in early learning. Respectively, the three papers: (1) provide a thorough accounting of gender disparities across and within 71 countries, (2) uncover specific caregiving mechanisms that help explain these gender disparities in early learning outcomes across and within countries, and (3) delve into the perceptions and meaning makings of mothers and fathers about gendered parenting practices at the local level. By so doing, this dissertation pushes forward our understanding of gender disparities in early learning opportunities and development across multiple ecological levels. The results may help inform global policy and practice aimed at gender equity, a matter of social justice that has proven to affect the social fabric, economic vitality, and political stability of nations. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.