Duas mães? Mulheres lésbicas e maternidade

Abstract

In our society, the heterosexual relationship still appears to be the only legitimate form to be a couple or to be a family. However, an increasing number of people who challenge the normative discourse are seeking for same-sex partnerships, often associating these partnerships to the experience of parenting, with biological or adoptive children. The increasing discussions about reproductive and sexual rights and the emergence of new family arrangements, including the one formed by homosexual couples, began to deconstruct the ideal model of nuclear family and its opens up the way for new discussions such as "lesbian motherhood". This study intend to contribute to the homoparenthood debate, by demonstrating the specificities between these women and their ways to construct an intimate citizenship within the context of Brazilian heternormative society. To do so, the following overall aim was: to comprehend the parenthood concepts of lesbian women who seek pregnancy through known or unknown semen donor. The proposed study is based on the assumptions of qualitative research, which means that the subjects discourse was the source of information. Twelve lesbians were interviewed between the years 2009 and 2011. The data were transcribed, organized and analyzed. From the results, it was revealed that the motherhood experience by lesbians depends on several factors such as historical, cultural, social, juridical, legal, economic, public policies, and, of course, the personal history of each of these women. Thus, for women who come out as a lesbian in a heteronormative society and at the same time, opt for motherhood, they have a hard road to face. The solution seems to be to struggle for citizenship and human rights consolidation. So, it's important working up this issue in academic studies and to discuss with other spheres of public policy and social life, including public health.

Práticas reprodutivas lésbicas: reflexões sobre genética e saúde

“…Quanto à importância dada ao fenótipo do doador na escolha do sêmen 31 , ao estudar casais de lésbicas que utilizaram sêmen de doador conhecido ou anônimo, observa-se que o poder de gerar a criança é atribuído às chamadas co-mães e não ao sêmen doado, na medida em que as comães participaram da decisão de ter um filho e da escolha do doador com características fenotí-picas similares a elas. Corrêa 32 , em estudo sobre maternidade lésbica, igualmente menciona que as mulheres entrevistadas buscavam um doador que se assemelhasse à co-mãe objetivando reconhecer no filho gestado a representação da contribuição de ambas no processo. Nesse sentido, o parentesco é tomado na perspectiva de contribuição biogenética dos integrantes do casal em igual proporção, como uma partilha de material genético no ser a ser criado, independente do fato de que uma das partes esteja representada de modo simbólico pelo material genético de uma terceira parte (doador).…”

Prejudice and discrimination in the everyday life of same-sex couples raising children

“…Moreover, studies addressing the Brazilian scenario have shown that, unlike families formed by cisgender and heterosexual individuals, this family configuration has led individuals to face challenges and discrimination in diverse social contexts (Almeida, 2012;Corrêa, 2012;Farias & Maia, 2009;Lira, Morais, & Boris, 2016;Toledo, 2008;Uziel, 2007). Moscheta (2004, p.6) said "the homosexual relationship is established through continuous dialogue with social contexts, which, due to prejudice and discrimination, hindering and segregating marital experience, leading to anguish".…”

“…Therefore, prejudice and discrimination in their many guises, even when they are subtle, affect the participants' daily lives (Almeida, 2012;Corrêa, 2012;Fleury & Torres, 2007;Moscheta, 2004).…”

Casais de mesmo sexo e parentalidade: um olhar sobre o uso das tecnologias reprodutivas

“…In Brazil, the parenting a phenomenon is occurring as a joint decision of samesex couples and, in recent years, studies have explored some peculiarities of this fact [1][2][3][4] . The production of this event relates two fields that historically were far apart: the gay and lesbian universe b , and medical technologies for reproduction.…”

“…Same-sex couples, in order to realize their dream of parenthood, more than just adoption, may resort to the use of Reproductive Technologies (RT), which is mainly used by women 4,5 .…”