Lesbian mothers' lived psychological experience of planned motherhood in three South African cities : an exploratory study

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concept of what constitutes a 'normal family has changed within recent years. This isbecause various family forms have been found viable. The current study is exploratory andfocuses on the planned lesbian family. It aims to describe lesbian mothers' livedpsychological experience of planned motherhood.Utilising a feminist phenomenological approach, the narratives of 10 lesbian couples wereobtained. Their emotional experiences are discussed under four headings, namely; thedecision to become mothers; the actual process of becoming mothers; motherhood experience;and the anticipation of and actual responses to lesbian motherhood, lesbian families andchildren of lesbian mothers.Significant findings reveal the decision making involved in becoming mothers; the influencethe type of donor has on the couple and their child; the joys and challenges of raising children;the fair division of childcare and household chores; the importance of partner support; thelevel of bonding with social and adoptive mothers; society's lack of parental validation; theissue of homophobia and the preparation of their children against homophobia.Lesbian mothers seem to experience motherhood in very similar ways to heterosexualmothers, except that they do not seem as lonely and isolated. The aim of this study was notonly to explore the experiences of lesbian mothers, but also to give them a voice within thepsychological literature and to strive towards the acceptance of diverse families withinmainstream psychology and the broader South African community.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University