VARIÁVEIS PARENTAIS E DESENVOLVIMENTO SÓCIO-EMOCIONAL DE CRIANÇAS EM FAMÍLIAS HOMOPARENTAIS

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

Religious and political conservatism and beliefs about same-sex parenting in Portugal

Publication . Costa, Pedro Alexandre; Caldeira, Sara Cláudia Pombo; Fernandes, Inês; Rita, Cláudia; Pereira, Henrique Marques; Leal, Isabel Pereira

Aim: During the last decade, there have been political changes regarding the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals in Portugal, such as the right to marry. However, parenting by same-sex couples is not legally allowed. The purpose of this study was to assess Portuguese heterosexuals’ beliefs about same-sex parenting, and the role of religious and political conservatism in shaping these beliefs. Method: A total of 993 participants, aged between 18 and 69 years (M = 34; SD = 11), responded to one of three questionnaires that included a case vignette depicting a different-sex, a female same-sex, or a male same-sex couple wishing to adopt a child. Participants were then asked to evaluate whether the couple would be suitable to adopt a child, and whether they anticipated any social and emotional problems with the child. Results: Participants consistently anticipated more children’s social and emotional problems if they were adopted by a same-sex couple. Men evaluated same-sex couples less favourably than women, and even less so the male same-sex couple. Conclusion: It was found that both religious conservatism and right-wing political leaning were associated with more sexual prejudicial beliefs regarding same-sex couples.

2014Journal article

Open access

Reactions from family of origin to the disclosure of lesbian motherhood via donor insemination

Publication . Costa, Pedro Alexandre; Tasker, Fiona; Carneiro, Francis Anne Teplitzky; Pereira, Henrique; Leal, Isabel Maria Pereira

Most studies of planned lesbian motherhood via donor insemination (DI) have sampled lesbian mothers in individualistic societies where adults have relatively distant connection to their family of origin. Our study examined the experiences of biological and non-biological lesbian mothers in five families who had children through DI after disclosing their motherhood status to their family networks in Portugal, a familistic society. The first theme identified by thematic analysis-"But why do you want to have a child?"-encapsulated the reactions of biological mothers' family of origin to the announcement of motherhood. Disclosure was mostly met by a shocked response in the family, rooted in the belief that lesbian women should not have children. The second theme-"But you weren't pregnant, how is this your child?"-summarized the reactions of non-biological mothers' family of origin to the disclosure of motherhood status as they considered refusing to recognize their grandchild in the absence of biological connection. Prejudice against lesbian-mother family formation was associated with the specific intersection of lesbianism and motherhood, but relationships between the mothers and their families were largely repaired because of familistic values.

2020Journal article

Restricted access