Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review 2022, 58(6): 603-635 | DOI: 10.13060/csr.2023.006

Parenting Desires and Sexual Identities

Marta Vohlídalová, Hana Maříková
Institute of Sociology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague

The paper asks how parenting desires are associated with the construction of sexual identity and what factors most influence whether gays/lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals declaring same-sex attraction want to have (more) children. The subject has been explored mainly in the Western liberal and gay-family-friendly legislation and social environment so far. Our study was conducted in the Czech Republic, a CEE country where sexual minorities face strong legal and social barriers to non-heterosexual parenthood. In an online survey (N = 882) conducted in 2019 among self-identified gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual people with same-sex attraction, we found a considerable gap in parenting desires by sexual identity. Parenting desires are weaker among homosexuals, especially men, while bisexuals are closer to heterosexuals in their parenting desires. Our research suggests that in the context of discussions of parenthood Czech women are unwilling to identify as lesbians and opt instead to claim a different sexual identity. Our findings indicate that the structural barriers to parenthood thus play a much more important role than the overall liberal-minded atmosphere in the Czech Republic.

Keywords: parenting desires, sexual identities, LGB individuals, Czech Republic/Czechia, CEE country, survey methodology

Received: May 20, 2021; Revised: September 12, 2022; Accepted: January 12, 2023; Published: January 26, 2023  Show citation

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Vohlídalová, M., & Maříková, H. (2022). Parenting Desires and Sexual Identities. Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review, 58(6), 603-635. doi: 10.13060/csr.2023.006
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