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Introduction: There has been limited research on stalking behaviors in same-gender intimate relationships. Research has suggested that early abusive experiences represent relevant risk factors that may have a correlation with experiences of violence in intimate partner relationships. Methods: In this cross-sectional research, in 2016, lesbian and bisexual (LB) Italian women (N = 243) filled in a self-report questionnaire including ad hoc measures of childhood abuse and stalking behaviors. Results: Results indicated that LB women reporting higher levels of childhood abuse also reported higher rates of stalking behaviors in their adult same-gender relationships. Coming out as lesbian or bisexual individuals was not a factor related to rates of stalking. Conclusions: This study confirms the prediction that childhood traumatic experiences represent risk factors that may be related to LB women's experiences of stalking in same-gender intimate relationships. Policy Implications: These results highlight the importance of spreading more knowledge of what is correct and incorrect to expect in an intimate relationship between women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan's legalization of same-sex marriage in 2019 made it the first nation in Asia to grant marital rights to gay and lesbian couples. In the years leading up to legalization, the Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan (pro-same-sex marriage) and the Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation (anti-same-sex marriage) mobilized large-scale social movements on social media between 2016 and 2017 to influence the legislative process. The network structure and affordances of digital platforms have facilitated communication and mobilization for social movements. However, new technology alone does not guarantee participation, and cultural aspects of mobilization on digital platforms are an important area of study. This paper examines the framing strategies these two organizations used on Facebook pages and the political and cultural contexts that facilitated or constrained frame alignment. A mixed-method framing analysis combining quantitative and qualitative methods of their Facebook posts revealed that the supporting group framed same-sex marriage as an issue of human rights and as a democratic development linked to Taiwan's goal of national independence, whereas the opposing group framed it as a destruction of traditional culture concerning family values and social order. Our analysis identified the distinct features of framing strategy in Taiwan's marriage equality movement and countermovement, including the appeal to nationalism and the downplaying of religion, that were affected by Taiwan's specific political and cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, neither reproduction and parenthood by lesbian couples nor their marital status are regulated or protected by law. In 2020, the first legal dispute in China involving a lesbian couple over custody of their joint baby was heard in court. This study examines the legal and ethical issues that lesbian couples confront when they decide to give birth to a child of their own. These challenges begin with regulatory restrictions on their lawful access to assisted reproductive technology and extend to gaps in the legal establishment of parenthood. We found that the lack of access to legitimate reproductive assistance for lesbian couples in China has caused them to make efforts to circumvent laws and regulations to have a child. However, the legislative gaps later led to ethical dilemmas when resolving disputes over parenthood. This study discusses different accounts of establishing and determining natural parenthood in China and concludes by pointing out the urgent need for change in legislative and sociocultural attitudes toward both assisted reproductive technology and same‐sex relationships, mapping the way forward for lesbian couples to obtain better protection of procreation and parenthood before their marriage is culturally accepted and finally legalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Oedipal Experiences in Same-Sex Families" by Yifat Eitan-Persico explores the need to revise the Oedipal model in psychoanalytic theory, particularly in the context of same-sex families. The author conducted qualitative research in Tel Aviv with 33 children and their same-sex parents, focusing on family dynamics, attachment patterns, and the impact of heteronormative ideals on children's development. The findings suggest that a revised Oedipal model could broaden its relevance, but challenges persist in integrating this perspective into psychoanalytic training and practice. The study sheds light on the complexities of psychosexual development in diverse family structures and calls for a more inclusive approach in psychoanalytic theory. [Extracted from the article]

"Queer Lives across the Wall: Desire and Danger in Divided Berlin, 1945–1970" by Andrea Rottmann explores the presence of queer bodies and experiences in both East and West Germany, focusing on lesbian and trans narratives alongside gay history. Rottmann delves into the spatial aspects of queer life, from homes to bars, public spaces, and prisons, shedding light on the complexities of gendered performances and erotic possibilities. Through a rich array of sources, Rottmann vividly reconstructs the lives of queer and trans individuals, offering a groundbreaking and compelling perspective on gender, sexuality, and class in German history." [Extracted from the article]

Over the past few decades, the causes of and intervention for intimate partner violence (IPV) have been approached and studied. This paper presents a narrative review on IPV occurring in same sex couples, that is, same sex IPV (SSIPV). Despite the myth that IPV is exclusively an issue in heterosexual relationships, many studies have revealed the existence of IPV among lesbian and gay couples, and its incidence is comparable to (Turell, 2000) or higher than that among heterosexual couples (Messinger, 2011; Kelley et al., 2012). While similarities between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) IPV were found, unique features and dynamics were present in LGB IPV. Such features are mainly related to identification and treatment of SSIPV in the community and to the need of taking into consideration the role of sexual minority stressors. Our findings show there is a lack of studies that address LGB individuals involved in IPV; this is mostly due to the silence that has historically existed around violence in the LGB community, a silence built on fears and myths that have obstructed a public discussion on the phenomenon. We identified the main themes discussed in the published studies that we have reviewed here. The reviews lead us to the conclusion that it is essential to create a place where this subject can be freely discussed and approached, both by LGB and heterosexual people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In October 2021, an advertisement for a fairness cream by the Indian company Dabur ignited a fierce controversy, unveiling deeply ingrained ideologies of lesbophobia, misogyny, colorism, casteism, and Hindu victimhood. The ad, featuring a lesbian couple performing the Hindu ritual of Karwa Chauth after using the skin whitening cream, sparked criticism for its attempt to integrate same-sex couples into mainstream Hindu society through skin tone modification and heteronormative religious rituals. This paper highlights a critical feminist approach to the use of data analytics tools. The data we examined closely in this manner helped us uncover transplatform strategies employed in the production of homophilous affective right-wing digital enclaves. The data from Twitter provided us an entry point. This work reveals a transplatform campaign supporting right-wing reactionary politics, uncovering networks spreading misogyny, lesbophobia, casteism, colorism, and a sense of Hindu victimhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of barriers faced by LGBTQ+ people with respect to Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART). It proceeds in four parts and addresses four different identities who may be impacted differently. The article first addresses access to ART by gay and single men. It then focuses on the question of who is recognized as a parent legally and how that impacts ART. The article next addresses reciprocal intravenous fertilization (IVF) issues for lesbian couples. Finally, it focuses on access to ART for transmen and women. ART impacts the LGBTQ+ community in unique ways depending on many factors, and this article provides an overview of those factors and the importance of addressing all of them. Key Points: Different members of the LGBTQ+ community face different barriers to ART.It remains difficult in some jurisdictions to participate in ART, either for legal or financial reasons, as it is often not considered medically necessary for LGBTQ+ people who are not "medically infertile."Lesbian couples face issues related to parentage because one parent may not be considered legally a parent, and the sperm donor's legal rights are not sufficiently determined in all jurisdictions.Having the correct parental designation for transmen on birth certificates remains difficult for them in many jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Canadians Censuses of 2001, 2006, 2016, and the National Household Survey of 2011, this article compares intra-household specialization patterns of married and cohabiting couples by gender composition of households. Household specialization is operationalized in several ways. The first set of measures captures the earnings differentials between spouses, while the second set of measures relies on labour supply. In line with previous studies, we often find a lower level of intra-household specialization for both male-male and female-female couples, compared with their heterosexual counterparts. However, the difference with heterosexuals is much larger for female-female couples. When the most recent dataset is split by income level, it appears that the specialization gaps are largely driven by the more affluent households. We also find considerable heterogeneity in the patterns when the sample is split by generational status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention to Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence (SSIPV) has increased in the last decades. Isolating behaviors, however, have been poorly studied, despite the increased vulnerability to isolation experienced by gay and lesbian couples. The aim of the present study was to examine the independent effects of minority stressors (experiences of discrimination, perceived stigma, and internalized homonegativity), emotion dysregulation, and adult attachment dimensions (attachment avoidance and anxiety) on isolating behaviors perpetration. One hundred and forty-eight gay or lesbian individuals (Mage = 32.48; SD = 10.91) involved in a same-sex relationship participated in the study and completed a self-report online questionnaire. A multiple regression model was used to examine the relationship between the variables in the study. Only attachment anxiety was associated with isolating behaviors. In contrast, attachment avoidance, experiences of discrimination, perceived stigma, internalized homonegativity, and emotion dysregulation did not influence perpetration of isolating behaviors. The present study highlights the influence of attachment anxiety on isolating behaviors, suggesting the role of dysfunctional mechanisms of interpersonal distance regulation. The obtained results provide information at the theoretical and clinical level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present theoretical essay is based on six reports concerning same-sex couples and gay and lesbian people in order to interconnect homoparenting and the adoption of children with disabilities, through the lenses of human and social sciences in public health. The reports were interpreted in light of studies on same-sex adoption and the adoption of children with disabilities. Feminist approaches related to care and disability were also included in the interpretative perspective, operating as expressive webs of grammars of ableism. It was found that media approaches endorse the right to family formation and the adoption of children with disabilities by homoparental families, but with little critical depth on the category of disability and without highlighting support for the adoption of all adoptee profiles. Moreover, the intersections between homophobia and ableism increase discriminatory and oppressive logics, with the union of social groups considered to be “undesirable” representing a strategy of governmentality that reveals the complexity of grammars of ableism, applied to the sexual and reproductive rights of LGBTQIA+ adopters and to the fundamental rights of children and adolescents with disabilities who are available for adoption [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bond with healthcare services is a crucial dimension in facilitating the maternal journey of lesbian and bisexual women couples. This study aimed to analyze the culturally constructed meanings regarding the bond with healthcare services and professionals by lesbian and bisexual women who experienced dual motherhood. It is a qualitative investigation grounded in interpretative anthropology. The research corpus was built based on in-depth interviews with 10 lesbian and bisexual women, aged 30 to 39 years. The results indicate that access to parenthood, until its realization, involved a journey permeated by satisfactions and sufferings triggered by failed attempts and gestational losses. Challenges experienced in healthcare provision were also reported due to prejudices, lack of empathy, and unpreparedness of professionals in dealing with prenatal care for lesbian and bisexual women couples. Manifestations of discrimination were more pronounced concerning non-gestational mothers. The findings offer insights into implementing policies that prioritize humanization and planning programs and healthcare services based on culturally sensitive care for lesbian and bisexual women couples as they transition into dual motherhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging studies focus on minority stressors emanating from society's stigmatization of particular relationship forms (i.e., couple-level minority stressors). The present study examines how same-sex couples experience one such couple-level minority stressor: limitations to participation in families of origin. Qualitative data are drawn from a sub-sample of same-sex couples (N = 18) who participated in a large-scale study of minority stress among 120 same-sex couples distributed equally across two study sites (Atlanta and San Francisco) in 2012 and 2013. Instances of limitations to participation in families of origin ranged in severity, falling into three distinct areas: 1) partial acceptance, where some family members were accepting and others were not, 2) mixed messages where some family members said they were accepting but behaved as though they were not and, 3) rejection, where some family members were blatantly unwelcoming or hostile. These types of exclusion were also evidenced in dyadic minority stress processes of stress proliferation (e.g., stress discrepancies and stress contagion) causing additional stress for both partners. These narratives portray struggles associated with experiences of couple-level minority stress faced by people in same-sex relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an analysis of how lesbian couples in Sweden negotiate birth motherhood in a context where equality is thought to be achieved by being and doing the same [Gullestad, M. (2002). Invisible fences: Egalitarianism, nationalism and racism. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 8(1), 45–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9655.00098]. We do so by studying narratives of how 20 couples arrived at the decision of who will be the (first) birth mother, a decision unique to a small group of parents with theoretical implications for motherhood norms, kinship and within-couple decision-making extending beyond the couples themselves. Most couples interviewed planned to have two children and take turns carrying, a plan that to some extent solves the challenge of equality and sameness. Genetic links were downplayed and instead, the embodied and often desired experience of pregnancy was foregrounded. In deciding who would be the (first) birth mother, the couples' reasoning centred on age and desire, both presented as harmless and 'natural' determinants that defused a potentially disruptive decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To compare the distribution of housework and childcare and satisfaction with work‐life balance resources among female same‐sex and different‐sex parenting couples in Spain and Sweden, and their association with life satisfaction. Background: Same‐sex couples have generally reported higher levels of co‐responsibility than their different‐sex counterparts in terms of housework and childcare. It has yet to be determined whether these differences are maintained in countries with different public gender equality and family policies. Method: Structured interviews were held with 154 mothers who lived with their partner and had children under 13 years of age: 89 from Spain (65 with different‐sex partners and 24 with same‐sex partners) and 65 from Sweden (27 with different‐sex partners and 38 with same‐sex partners). Interviews focused on the distribution within the couple of housework and childcare, problems related to work‐life balance, satisfaction with work‐life balance resources and life satisfaction. Results: Differences were observed in the division of labor between same‐sex and different‐sex couples in Spain but not in Sweden. Spanish different‐sex couples reported a less equal distribution of housework and childcare than their Swedish counterparts. Same‐sex couples were as equal in their division of labor in Spain as in Sweden. Satisfaction with housework distribution and personal time availability positively predicted life satisfaction, whereas problems related to work‐life balance negatively predicted it. Conclusion: Female same‐sex couples, in the microsystem, and public gender equality policies in the macro‐system, are encouraging a process of "de‐gendering" of family labor, promoting co‐responsibility in couples, and thereby fostering their psychological well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Cultural Studies / Kültür Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Journal of Cultural Studies / Kultur Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Little research about lesbian couples' experiences with fertility treatment exists in the counseling literature. While there is an increase in lesbian couples exploring fertility options to expand their families, it is important to understand their experiences during this stressful process. This research seeks to understand these experiences using Moustakas' Imaginative Variation method with seven lesbian couples. Results include feelings of isolation, psychological and physical stress. Despite myriad difficulties associated with assisted reproductive technology, participants' experiences show the presence of strong relationship factors, divided into three categories: connectedness, mutuality, and resilience. The use of Relational Cultural Theory may be helpful to lesbian couples looking to expand their families through reproductive methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christianity's emphasis on faith in Jesus Christ can shape perceptions of LGBTQI individuals. The notion that heterosexuality is the only biblically sanctioned sexual orientation, rooted in patriarchal ideals, presents a religious challenge for the LGBTQI1 community. Lesbian couples and their children often face hostility and exclusion from local religious communities, due to their departure from heterosexual norms. This article employs Michel Foucault's discourse and power theory to examine how the Christian church and society maintain a fixed social hierarchy. It focuses on biblical discourses shaping lesbian identity and highlights how colonial influences have fuelled a homophobic interpretation of the Bible. The argument advocates for a more positive relationship between churches and the LGBTQI community, asserting that the Christian church and social hierarchies negatively impact on lesbian identity through the use of biblical text and patriarchal views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION In lesbian couples, is shared motherhood IVF (SMI) associated with an increase in perinatal complications compared with artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID)? SUMMARY ANSWER Singleton pregnancies in SMI and AID had very similar outcomes, except for a non-significant increase in the rate of preeclampsia/hypertension (PE/HT) in SMI (recipient's age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.9, 95% CI = 0.7–5.2; P  = 0.19), but twin SMI pregnancies had a much higher frequency of PE/HT than AID twins (recipient's age-adjusted OR = 21.7, 95% CI = 2.8–289.4; P  = 0.01). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Oocyte donation (OD) pregnancies are associated with an increase in perinatal complications, in particular, preterm delivery and low birth weight, and PE/HT. However, it is unclear to what extent these complications are due to OD process or to the conditions why OD was performed, such as advanced age and underlying health conditions. Unfortunately, the literature concerning perinatal outcomes in SMI is scarce. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Retrospective study involving 660 SMI cycles (299 pregnancies) and 4349 AID cycles (949 pregnancies) assisted over a 10-year period. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS All cycles fulfilling the inclusion criteria performed in lesbian couples seeking fertility treatment in 17 Spanish clinics of the same group. Pregnancy rates of SMI and AID cycles were compared. Perinatal outcomes were compared: gestational length, newborn weight, preterm and low birth rates, PE/HT rates, cesarean section rates, perinatal mortality, and newborn malformations. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Pregnancy rates were higher in SMI than in AID (45.3% versus 21.8%, P  < 0.001). There was a non-significant trend to higher multiple rate in AID (4.7% versus 8.5%, P  = 0.08). In single pregnancies, there were no differences between SMI and AID in gestational age (278 days (268–285) versus 279 (272–284), P  = 0.24), preterm rate (8.3% versus 7.3%, P  = 0.80), preterm <28 weeks (0.6% versus 0.4%, P  = 1.00), newborn weight (3195 g (2915–3620) versus 3270 g (2980–3600), P  = 0.296), low birth rate (6.4% versus 6.4%, P  = 1.00), extremely low birth weight (0.6% versus 0.5%, P  = 1.00), and the distribution of newborns by weight groups. Cesarean section rate, newborn malformation rate, and perinatal mortality were also similar in SMI and AID. Additionally, there was non-significant trend in hypertensive disorders to an increase in PE/HT among SMI (recipient's age-adjusted OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 0.7–5.2). Overall, perinatal data are consistent with what is reported in the general population. In twin pregnancies, the aforementioned perinatal parameters were also very similar in SMI and AID. However, SMI twin pregnancies had a very high risk of PE/HT when compared with AID (recipient's age-adjusted OR = 21.7, 95% CI = 2.8–289.4, P  = 0.01). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our data regarding the pregnancy course were obtained from information registered in the delivery report as well as from what was reported by the patients themselves, so a certain degree of inaccuracy cannot be ruled out. Additionally, in some parameters, there was up to 10% of data missing. However, since the methodology of reporting was the same in SMI and AID groups, one should not expect a differential reporting bias. It cannot be ruled out that the risk of PE/HT in simple gestations would be significant in a larger study. Additionally, in the SMI group allocation to the transfer of 2 embryos was not randomized so some bias is possible. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS SMI, if single embryo transfer is performed, seems to be is a safe procedure. Double embryo transfer should not be performed in SMI. Our data suggest that the majority of complications in OD could be related more with recipient status than with OD itself, since with SMI (performed in women without fertility problems) the perinatal complications were much lower than usually described in OD. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) No external funding was received. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assisted conception practices contribute to an increasingly complex relational landscape. This article draws from a qualitative study that investigated narratives about the negotiation of relatedness in lesbian known donor reproduction in Aotearoa New Zealand. Twenty-six interviews, with 60 adults, across 21 lesbian known donor familial configurations at different stages of forming family through known donor insemination were conducted. The article demonstrates how parties using this form of insemination – lesbian couples, known donors and known donor partners – invoke divorce discourse as a kinship resource. The families these women and men were creating or had already established were the product of deliberate pre-conception planning rather than the result of separation or divorce following the breakdown of an intimate relationship. Nevertheless, divorce discourse supported them to make sense of possibilities for the kin status and place of known donors and their partners within the kinship structures put around children given they have no obvious place within these structures. The article argues the use of divorce conventions serves to both disrupt and uphold traditional parenting discourses and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VS: Congratulations on Honey Mine/ It's brilliant and was so meaningful to read. What was it like to gather this work from diverse eras of your life during our current [...]

In the 2000s, same sex partnership laws, new reproductive technologies, and legislation rendering lesbian couples and single women eligible for state-funded assisted reproduction with donated gametes in the Scandinavian nations has resulted in significant changes in family formation. Drawing on two separate qualitative studies, this paper scrutinizes Scandinavia's alleged progressive LGBTQ politics by critically examining how ideas of kinship, race and nation shape ideas of 'donor matching' amongst queer parents in Sweden and Denmark. Through empirical analysis, we explore how the conditional invitation of queers into family making via state regulated assisted reproduction is entangled with racialised medical and commercial choices of donors that reflect historically specific ideas of race. In particular, we show how whiteness is framed as desirable and how being 'racialised non-white' is framed as a risk that ought to be minimised for children who are already considered 'disadvantaged' by being born into 'queer' families. Thus, we argue that contemporary queer reproduction is not only central to homonationalism, it can also be seen as a continuation of eugenic and biopolitical initiatives that have been central to the emergence of Scandinavian welfare states. We conclude by proposing further scrutiny of contemporary queer reproduction as a potential 'white-washing' technique to manage populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: What motivates same‐gender female couples to choose reciprocal in vitro fertilization (IVF)? Do their experiences of becoming and being a mother via reciprocal IVF match their pre‐parenthood expectations? Background: Reciprocal IVF is a treatment route available to cis, same‐gender female couples, and other couples in which both partners have a uterus and egg stores. One partner's egg is retrieved, fertilized in vitro with donor sperm, then carried by the other partner. Existing debate has considered the ethical implications of this treatment route. To date, no empirical research has explored the experiences of families who have used reciprocal IVF. Method: Semistructured interviews were conducted with genetic and gestational mothers in 14 families headed by cis, same gender female couples who had conceived by reciprocal IVF in the United Kingdom (N = 28 mothers). Data were analyzed according to the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were constructed: (a) becoming mums together; (b) legitimacy: "who's the real mum"; (c) choices and constraints; and (d) biological connections strengthen family connections. Conclusion: Families had multiple and nuanced motivations for choosing reciprocal IVF, such as the desire to share the journey of motherhood with their partner, to be perceived as legitimate parents, to overcome practical barriers, and to build strong family relationships. Mothers' pre‐parenthood expectations often mismatched the reality of becoming and being a mother via reciprocal IVF. Most parents found that the significance of reciprocal IVF diminished as their children grew up. Implications: Findings demonstrate that reciprocal IVF offers a fulfilling route to parenthood. Parents should have access to routes to parenthood that meet their reproductive needs and feel right for them as a couple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterosexism is not only expressed through sexual prejudice as an external stressor, but also as an internalized rejection toward one's own (and others') sexually diverse identity. That is, lesbian women and gay men themselves internalize negative societal attitudes toward their sexual orientation and identity—a phenomenon called internalized homonegativity. A wealth of research shows that internalized homonegativity negatively affects the health and social adjustment of gay and lesbian people. However, the literature has documented this trend from an individual (over a dyadic) perspective, and largely among gay (over lesbian) samples. To address this oversight, we analyzed data from 210 gay and lesbian couples in Chile to examine both actor and partner effects of internalized homonegativity on their sexual satisfaction. Results from moderation analyses from an actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) approach show that partners' internalized homonegativity negatively affects actor sexual satisfaction, a pattern significantly moderated by gender; that is, only observed among lesbian couples. Our results further demonstrated that these effects hold above and beyond the actor and partner effects of age and relationship satisfaction, as well as relationship length. These results are consistent with the broader literature, which discusses the specific features of internalized homonegativity in lesbian women, characterized—among other aspects—by restrictive social demands over their sexuality. Accordingly, our findings highlight the deleterious relational consequences of internalized homonegativity and offer a relevant empirical contribution to the understanding of specific minority stress dynamics among lesbian women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study centers on the narrative accounts of a lesbian couple in a binational relationship (i.e., two women from different countries) who left the United States (U.S.) at a time when immigration laws did not recognize their union. Given that they could not legally stay in the U.S. together, they immigrated to the Netherlands and subsequently to Canada. When DOMA was overturned and the couple was eligible to apply for immigration to the U.S., they opted to remain in Canada, in part due to the strain of multiple migrations. This concept has been described as the complex process that accompanies more than one immigration experience and the cumulative effect that this can have on couples and families over time, particularly when multiple resettlements have taken place. A descriptive case study methodology was employed to investigate the perceptions of multiple migrations of this lesbian binational couple, focusing mainly on their experiences in Canada. Specifically, individual interviews were conducted with each woman to explore their lived experiences of multiple migration and the impact this has had on various aspects of their lives, including those occurring at the intersection of privilege and oppression. A description of each woman is presented, followed by the significant themes that emerged from this study, including immigration difficulties and the centrality of relationship. Implications for psychological training, practice, research, policy were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid-2000s, a number of Western countries have witnessed an increase in the number of children born into 'alternative' or 'queer' families. Parallel with this queer baby boom, online media technologies have become intertwined with most people's intimate lives. While these two phenomena have appeared simultaneously, their integration has seldom been explored. In an attempt to fill this gap, the present article explores the ways in which contemporary queer reproduction is interwoven with online media practices. Importantly, the article does not understand online media as a technology that simply facilitates queer kinship; rather, it argues that online media technology is a reproductive technology in its own right. Drawing on empirical examples of media practices of kinning, such as online shopping for donor sperm and locating 'donor siblings' via online fora such as Facebook, the article analyses the merging and intersection of online media and queer kinship. These analyses serve as a foundation for an exploration of contemporary kinship and the development of a new theoretical framework for contemporary queer reproduction. Empirically, the examples are from single women's (i.e. solo mothers) and lesbian couples' family making. Using Weston's work on 'chosen families' as a backdrop for discussion, the article describes families of choice in light of new online kinship connections. In particular, the article focuses on online-initiated connections between donor siblings and how such connections can re-inscribe biology as important to queer kinship. Furthermore, it closely examines how media technology guides queer reproduction in particular directions and how technology causes becoming as a family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cultura Educación y Sociedad is the property of Corporacion Universidad de la Costa, CUC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Population & Sociétés is the property of Institut National d'Etudes Demographiques and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Despite the non-recognition of same-sex relationships or marriage by the law, lesbian motherhood has become an emerging socio-legal issue in China. To fulfil their desires to reproduce and make a family, some Chinese lesbian couples adopt a 'shared motherhood model' where one lesbian contributes an egg while her partner becomes pregnant through embryo transfer following artificial insemination with a donor's sperm. Because the shared motherhood model intentionally divides the roles of biological mother and gestational mother between lesbian couples, this has allowed legal controversies to emerge associated with the parenthood of the conceived child as well as custody, support of, and visitation of the child. There are two pending judicial cases involving a shared motherhood arrangement reported in the country. The courts have appeared reluctant to rule on them because Chinese law has not provided clear legal solutions to these controversial issues. They are highly cautious about delivering a decision not in line with the current legal position of non-recognition of same-sex marriage. Given little literature discussing Chinese legal responses to the shared motherhood model, this article aims to fill the gap by investigating the basis of parenthood under Chinese law and analysing the parentage issue concerning the different types of relationships between lesbians and children born of a shared motherhood arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research found that those who believe sexual orientation is inborn have generally positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women. However, other studies have also found that these beliefs could include negative eugenic ideas. This study aims to investigate the role of people's beliefs about the aetiology of sexual orientation in attitudes toward adoption for both gay and lesbian couples in Italy. We hypothesized that this relationship would be mediated by sexual prejudice. To test the predictions, 256 Italian heterosexual participants were asked to answer questions on a scale about their beliefs regarding the aetiology of sexual orientation, sexual prejudice, and attitudes toward adoption by same-sex couples. Results confirmed that the relationship between aetiology beliefs and support for adoption by gay and lesbian couples was fully mediated by sexual prejudice. These results suggest that the belief that sexual orientation is controllable may serve to justify one's prejudice and, in turn, result in a lower support for same-sex couples' adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]