| Abstract: | Members of nonheteronormative society are associated with anti-family
attitude because of notions about sex roles that are strengthened, among others,
by processes of socialization and sex stereotypzation. Polish subject researchers
pay attention to a lack of data relating to decision making processes and
motivation of lesbians and gays connected to parenthood. Research projects that
have been conducted so far, were focused primarily on a declaration of desire or
reluctance to become a homosexual mother or father – on determining opinion
of that society. Under presented thesis there was made an attempt of recognizing
homosexual women’s attitudes and their determinants towards taking on
motherhood by themselves and by other members of homosexual society, also
the attempt was connected to ordering gathered information as theoretical
models.
The research was conducted using a qualitative research perspective
because of set research aims and problems. An applied method was case study, a
free-form directed interview and photo elicitation were techniques; interview
dispositions – thematic categories and photographs – were a data collecting
instrument. Ten cisgender individuals defining themselves as women took part
in the research.
On the basis of gathered empirical data I established a typology of
attitudes of homosexual women both towards their own motherhood and
towards other homosexuals’ parenthood. Research women’s stance toward
giving birth was polarized (positive or negative), but categories that conditioned
it the most were these based on individual level. Being a mother or a father by
other members of sexual minority was recognized among three-fold valency
(positive – ambivalent – negative), subject conditioning categories were, once again, these having the strongest influence on displayed stance. As a result of
setting the typology of attitudes with categories that condition them, I evolved
six theoretical models of attitudes of homosexual women towards raising
families of choice by other homosexual individuals, three models of stances
towards their own biological motherhood and four models towards being a
social mother. On the basis of analysis and interpretation of research material I
determined that the axis of adopting attitudes by homosexual women towards
analyzed issues is nonheteronormativity with all interpersonal relations,
intrapersonal communication and with coexisting social indirect communicates
performed on its level. In order to prevent stigmatization of families of choice
and children raised by them and to decrease teenagers’ vulnerability to
internalized homophobia, on the basis of research conclusions, I determined
recommendations for institutions and individuals undertaking actions under antidiscrimination education. |