Say Yes to the Grandkids: Grandparenting in Chinese Lesbian and Gay Parent Families

Abstract

Drawing data from a study on LGBT parent families that combined in-depth interviews with members of 19 families and a national online survey of 595 families, this paper focuses on the role of grandparents in providing childcare within these families. Similar to their heterosexual counterparts, grandparents are heavily involved in childcare in these lesbian and gay parent families. The participation of the families of origin in childcare not only greatly alleviates the family pressure experienced by our participants due to their alternative sexuality, but also contributes to the normalization of these queer families in the face of public scrutiny. Despite the alternative construction of kinship in queer families, the conventional notion of blood ties still influences grandparents’ involvement in childcare. We contend that grandparenting in LGBT parent families exemplifies the complex yet innovative improvisation of intergenerationality in contemporary China, reflecting the ongoing negotiation between family responsibility and individual autonomy.