Lesbian mothers with planned families: A comparative study of internalized homophobia and social support.

Abstract

This study compared the perception of social support and the degree of internalized homophobia for two demographically similar groups: lesbians with planned families and lesbians who did not have children. Results found that lesbians with planned families perceived significantly less social support from friends overall, from gay men and lesbian friends specifically, and more support from their families-of-origin than lesbians who did not have children. Lesbians with planned families also reported significantly higher internalized homophobia specific to disclosure of sexual identification. The authors suggest that selective disclosure may be an adaptive response rather than a true measure of internalized homophobia.

Motives and Decisions for and Against Having Children Among Nonheterosexuals and the Impact of Experiences of Discrimination, Internalized Stigma, and Social Acceptance

“…Although studies show that these women generally exhibit low levels of internalized homophobia (i.e., internalized stigma as a result of sexual orientation) (Baetens, 2002;HerrmannGreen & Gehring, 2007), a comparative study involving lesbian mothers and childless lesbian women found that mothers nonetheless scored higher with regard to internalized homophobia compared to those who were childless. Despite receiving more support from their family of origin, these mothers received less social support from their heterosexual and nonheterosexual friends (DeMino, Appleby, & Fisk, 2007). The extent to which women overcome the perceived conflict between a lesbian identity and motherhood plays an important role in the decision to start a family (Chabot & Ames, 2004).…”

The Minority Stress of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Parents. Specificity of Polish Context

“…At the same time a statement can be ventured that being a parent approaches LGB people to heterosexual majority, for whom parenting is a common practice. Quantitive research carried out in the United States exhibited mothers in planed lesbian families (N = 47) being higher supported by their families of origin and lower supported by their nonheterosexual friends in comparison with childless lesbians (N = 42) (DeMino, Appleby & Fisk, 2007). Qualitative study conducted in Italy (23 lesbians and 2 gay men) also suggests that LGB parents can expect more support from other heterosexual parents than from their own minority members (Danna, 2011).…”

Accounting for Lesbian-Headed Families: Lesbian Mothers' Responses to Discursive Challenges

“…Because many lesbian mothers feel rejected by their families of origin, they often turn to chosen kin or social networks with some reporting high levels of social support from these networks (Donaldson, 2000;Rothblum, 2010). Yet research continues to find that, for others, social networks are sources of disconfirmation (DeMino, Appleby, & Fisk, 2007). Lack of social support from members of the lesbian and gay community is reported as a barrier to becoming a lesbian parent (Brown et al, 2009), and is theorized by some to result from dueling political opinions and goals in the lesbian community (Speziale & Gopalakrishna, 2004).…”