Italian same‐sex parenting in times of COVID‐19: Constructing parenthood on insecure grounds

Abstract

This article focuses on the challenges same-sexparent families in Italy have faced in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. Background: It is universally acknowledged that Italy was the first victim of the novel coronavirus in Europe. Due to the hazards caused by the pandemic, the Italian government implemented a series of countermeasures to help families, resolving the increasingly irreconcilable conflicts between work and childcare, providing financing to the most poverty-stricken families. However, some initiatives have made it clear that in Italy, not all people have received equal benefits. Method: To further investigate and bring awareness to the issue of the vulnerability of Italian same-sex-parent families in times of COVID-19, 40 in-depth interviews were conducted online between March and June 2020 to collect data on attitudes, opinions, and behaviors at the individual level. Results: Italian homosexual fathers and mothers, due to a still uncertain regulatory framework, have been invisible in the face of a bureaucracy remaining deeply rooted in a rigid and obsolete vision of the social reality. Conclusion: Italy should take into account a possible redefinition of family both at the political and institutional levels. The concept of family is expected to be broader and closer to social reality, encompassing all the possible patterns of family that constitute a real supportive network for all people, in full respect of people's equal dignity and self-determination. Implications: A redefinition of what it means to be a family is necessary not only in the acquisition of citizenship and welfare rights of homosexual people, but above all for the

Parenting and psychological adjustment during middle childhood in lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parent families formed through assisted reproduction.

“…Situated within Bronfenbrenner’s (1986) ecological model, these data provide reassurance that, amidst backlash against LGBTQIA+ rights and parenthood through assisted reproduction (Horowitz, 2023; ILGA, 2024), lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents through assisted reproduction and their children seem particularly well-equipped. In fact, the present findings suggest that their psychological health was maintained even during the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed numerous challenges to family life (e.g., homeschooling, remote working, caregiving during home confinement) (Carone et al, 2021; Monaco, 2022; Weeland et al, 2021).…”

“…As a further note, most published studies on lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parent families through assisted reproduction were conducted prior to COVID-19 (for exceptions, see, e.g., Cruciani et al, 2024; Shenkman, Bos, et al, 2023; Shenkman, Carone, et al, 2023). Although these family forms have been shown to demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity (e.g., stigma) (Bos & Gartrell, 2020; Farr et al, 2022; Golombok, 2015), the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic-related measures seem to have exceeded the capabilities and available resources of all families (Carone et al, 2021; Monaco, 2022; Weeland et al, 2021). In this vein, very little is known about how lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parent families through assisted reproduction coped during this difficult period.…”

Parental burnout, coparenting, and internalized sexual stigma during COVID-19 in parents with minoritized sexual identities.

“…Nevertheless, coparenting and its relation with parental burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic in parents with minoritized sexual identities have not been examined. In this vein, previous results cannot be necessarily extended to this period, given evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic increased coparenting challenges in all families (Monaco, 2022; Vaydich & Cheung, 2023). During this period, some parents experienced a larger burden of caregiving, due to job loss or reduced work hours, and parents also reported difficulties combining work and caregiving responsibilities.…”

Same-sex families in Serbia in times of COVID-19

“…same-sex parenting) za vreme kovida-19, ukazuje na diskriminaciju gej i lezbejskih roditelja i roditeljica, koji su usled još uvek neizvesnog pravnog položaja, ostali nevidljivi pred birokratijom koja ih nije prepoznala kao ranjivu kategoriju stanovništva. Istraživači ove studije zaključuju da bi Italija trebalo da omogući redefinisanje braka i porodice na političkom i institucionalnom nivou, odnosno da koncept porodice bude širi i bliži društvenoj realnosti, poštujući sve oblike porodičnog života kao okvira koji čini stvarnu mrežu podrške za ljude, bez obzira na njihovu seksualnu orijentaciju (Monaco, 2022).…”