The purpose of this study was twofold: firstly to explore the parenting experiences of lesbian parents rearing children and secondly with a specific focus on parenting styles that may be present within lesbian families. The conceptual framework for this study was the ecosystemic model of Urie Bronfenbrenner. During the research I followed a qualitative approach, secured in an interpretative paradigm. A case study research design was utilised to gain a better, richer and deeper understanding. Data collection involved using semi structured questionnaires, parenting style worksheets and vignettes. Participant selection was a combination between snowball and non-probability sampling methods, including four lesbian families with children between the ages of four and twelve years. Data analysis consisted of identifying themes and subthemes. Several main themes emerged subsequent to the thematic data analysis. The first theme was the parenting styles within lesbian families namely; warm, involved and tolerant parenting style as the main styles. The second theme was family rules, values and norms. The third theme was discipline strategies that were used within the lesbian families. The fourth theme was the experiences and lastly a theme on how the participants saw themselves with regards to sameness or being different than other families was identified. Based on the findings I concluded that there are three main parenting styles that emerged within these lesbian families and that there are several experiences, both positive and negative, that have influences on how lesbian mothers rear their children. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

En France, dans une société hétéronormative à domination masculine, quelles représentations les mères lesbiennes ont-elles du genre et de la socialisation de genre de leurs enfants ? L’hypothèse principale qui sous-tend la recherche est que la position particulière des lesbiennes dans le système du genre – à la fois dominées et transfuges de la classe des femmes – leur permet un point de vue critique des normes dominantes et les prédispose à transmettre des modèles qui remettent en cause l’ordre du genre. Dans un contexte français d’institutionnalisation progressive de l’homoparentalité marqué par un débat public très houleux (2012-2013), 36 entretiens semi-directifs longs ont été réalisés entre 2011 et 2014 avec des femmes lesbiennes ayant des enfants de moins de douze ans conçus en contexte lesboparental. Malgré une certaine homogénéité des profils qui classent les enquêtées parmi les catégories sociales privilégiées, on constate une hétérogénéité des représentations et des pratiques pour composer avec les normes dominantes. Les mères lesbiennes rencontrées me semblent être des « résistantes ordinaires » à la domination : sans adhésion idéologique aux normes qui les assujettissent, elles sont animées d’une volonté d’intégration. Pragmatiques dans leur lecture du contexte et du contrat social, elles sont attentives à se préserver et à préserver leur famille des effets de l’homophobie. Elles déploient leur résistance du côté de l’infrapolitique pour repousser les limites établies par le cadre contraignant. / In the French heteronormative, male dominated society, what are French lesbian mothers’ representations of gender, and specifically of their children’s gender socialization? The main hypothesis is that being dominated as women and sex-class transfuges at the same time, lesbians have a particular position within the gender system, allowing them a critical point of view on the dominant norms. They are thus predisposed to transmit to their children gender models that challenge the gender system. In France, the gradual institutionalization of homosexual parenting is accompanied with a heated public debate (especially in 2012 and 2013). This research is primarily based on semi-structured interviews conducted between 2011 and 2014. The 36 interviewees are lesbian women with children under 12 years old, conceived within the frame of lesbian parenting. Despite the homogeneity of their social positions (middle and upper class), the interviewees have heterogeneous representations of the dominant norms. They also develop different sets of practices to face these norms. These lesbian mothers seem to develop ordinary forms of resistance to domination. While they show no ideological endorsement to heterosexist norms, they express a real will to be integrated within society. They interpret the context and social contract in a pragmatic way, and seek to protect themselves and their families from the effects of homophobia. Their resistance is mainly infra-political: pushing against the established limits of a framework that restricts them.

Despite recent advancements in legislation and policies regarding gay and lesbian Americans, negative attitudes and perceptions toward this population still exist. Anecdotal information from social work classroom interactions suggests that biases against gays and lesbian families may exist among those being trained as helping professionals. This study examined social work student comfort with gay and lesbian families. The researcher used an exploratory-descriptive research design, with a sample of 85 Bachelors level social work students (BSW) and Masters level social work students (MSW) who completed the 52 item online questionnaire related to gay and lesbian parenting. The findings from the research suggest the presence of a statistically significant relationship between students' attitudes towards gays and lesbians and students' comfort level with same sex parents. The researcher discusses the significance of the study and the implications for social work practice and education.

Cultural socialization has been linked with child development and outcome, but, to date, the majority of research has focused on race and ethnicity. However, since families headed by gay and lesbian parents experience stigma related to parental sexual orientation, socialization practices may be uniquely important for families headed by gay and lesbian parents. The present study examined same-sex parent socialization among 54 families headed by gay and lesbian parents (52 fathers, 43 mothers, 51 school-aged children) using a cultural socialization framework. Findings revealed that parents engaged in socialization along three dimensions: Cultural Socialization, Preparation for Bias, and Proactive Parenting. Children perceived same-sex parent socialization with less frequency than parents reported engaging in these behaviors across all dimensions. In general, same-sex parent socialization was not associated with child behavioral adjustment. Neither same-sex parent socialization nor child behavioral adjustment was associated with whether parents were gay or lesbian. Results from this study justify the need to broaden our conceptualization of cultural socialization to be more inclusive of these diverse family structures.

Opinions and attitudes towards homosexually oriented people and their lives have changed significantly in the last twenty years. Homosexuality is not considered as a sexual deviation any more, and more and more European cultures allow formal and legal existence of the same-sex couples. In some states of the European Union gays and lesbians can become parents legally - they are allowed full joint adoption. The objective of the theoretical part of the thesis was to approach the issue of homosexuality and homosexually oriented people within the context of selected states of the European Union. The main objective of the research part of the thesis was to find out the attitude of the wide public towards the institute of registered partnership (civil union or civil partnership) in the Czech Republic. The partial objective was to survey the public attitude towards the adoption of a child by a single homosexual and towards the adoption of a child by a homosexual couple (full joint adoption) in the Czech Republic. I also wanted to find out, whether the Czech public tolerate the adoption of a child of a homosexual partner or the artificial insemination of lesbian couples. Quantitative research, polling method and an anonymous questionnaire {--} a technique of the research - were used in the practical part.

My thesis should provide a comprehensive sum up of the life of homoparental families in the Czech Republic. I would like to closely see and monitor functioning of those LGBTI families and to research obstacles that these families must overcome to fully function in the society. In terms of equal and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity I will examine in more details the processes, tools and institutions that provide the same conditions to all families without exception. I am primarily interested in barriers to the full functioning of these families, their access to assisted reproduction, surrogacy for gay families, and the legalization of non-biologic parent relationships to a child in a common household, their rights and duties. From a public policy point of view, I will find out whether these processes are in the accordance to equal and not discrimination treatment for all. By legalization of the partnership between homosexuals in the Czech Republic it has caused the logical development of this status and issues connecting to this law. Today, is often discussed the nature of this relationship and the possibility of its "transformation" into a full family structure ended up by marriage. This development raises a number of theoretical and practical issues. In my work,...