Email this article Non-heteronormative women’s views on motherhood
Abstract
Introduction: Motherhood is one of the most significant roles for women and is most often associated with the traditional family model of a mother, father, and their children. However, with the growing visibility and emancipation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual orientations (LGBTQIA+) community in many countries, the presence of “homofamilies” consisting of same-sex couples has become increasingly recognized. More frequently, female couples choose to become mothers together. Despite this progress, non-heteronormative women often encounter various challenges and anxieties when pursuing motherhood. The aim of this study was to explore the views of women with a non-heteronormative orientation on motherhood.
Materials and methods: The study involved 161 women who identified as having a non-heteronormative orientation. A diagnostic survey method was used, employing an original questionnaire that included 4 questions on sociodemographic data and 15 main questions. The survey was conducted in private Facebook groups. The collected data were statistically analyzed using StatView software (version 5.0).
Results: A significant majority of non-heteronormative women expressed a desire to start a family (p = 0.0069), could imagine themselves as mothers (p = 0.0007), and dreamed of having children (p = 0.0255). Women in same-sex relationships wished to raise their potential children together (p = 0.005). However, respondents were significantly more likely to fear social discrimination related to motherhood (p = 0.0187) and would consider emigrating due to such discrimination (p = 0.0444). In contrast, they did not express significant concerns about discrimination within their families, discrimination against their potential children, or discrimination during childbirth (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Non-heteronormative women, like heterosexual women, aspire to become mothers, form families with their partners, and raise children together. Unfortunately, this aspiration is overshadowed by concerns about social discrimination toward non-heteronormative motherhood, which may prompt some women to emigrate to more liberal countries.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.21164/pomjlifesci.1080
Copyright (c) 2025 Katarzyna Szymoniak, Agata Szczurowska, Małagorzta Zimny, Olimpia Sipak-Szmigiel, Dorota Ćwiek
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