Exploration of kinship storytelling and identity formation in adults raised by LGBTQ parents
Queering the kinship story: constructing connection through LGBTQ family narratives (Garwood, 2023)
Garwood, E. (2023). Queering the kinship story: Constructing connection through LGBTQ family narratives. Feminist Theory, 24(1), 30-46. https://doi.org/10.1177/14647001211059521
Geographic Region: England and Scotland, United Kingdom
Research Question: How do adult children of LGBTQ parents understand and construct their kinship stories, particularly in relation to their parents' LGBTQ identities and broader LGBTQ histories?
Design: Qualitative study using biographical narrative interviews conducted in England and Scotland during 2017-2018 and 2020-2021. Combined thematic and narrative analysis.
Sample: 22 adults (ages 19-59) who identified as being raised by at least one LGBTQ parent. Family configurations included 5 participants conceived via donor insemination (one biological mother, one non-biological mother), 1 participant with three co-parents from birth (two lesbian mothers and a heterosexual father), and 16 participants born to cisgender heterosexual parents, where one parent came out as LGBTQ.
Key Findings
Families discussed donor conception very openly. They shared specific details about the conception process. One example from the article shows this well: One participant described how his parents would openly tell the "turkey baster story" about his conception, calling it "hilarious".
Donor stories were integrated into larger family narratives. Participants shared that as children they knew details like how many attempts it took (e.g., one participant knew she was conceived on the tenth attempt, another on the fourth). These stories were told repeatedly throughout childhood.
Participants born through donor conception often separated concepts of sex, reproduction, and family formation as children. The focus wasn't on the donor as a missing parent figure, but rather as part of how the family was created.
While lesbian parents were very open with their children about donor conception, their own heterosexual parents (the grandparents) often found these conversations more uncomfortable and sometimes suggested making up stories about heterosexual relationships instead.
Limitations: Sample recruited primarily through online methods and community organizations, potentially missing less connected individuals. Retrospective nature of interviews may affect accuracy of childhood memories. Sample includes wide age range (19-59) representing different historical contexts. Study did not focus on donor conception specifically.
Applications: Demonstrates impact of having access to conception stories and highlights role of family narratives in identity formation.
Funding Source: Economic and Social Research Council (grant number ES/J500161/1)
Lead Author: Eliza Garwood is a researcher at the University of Southampton, UK, specializing in LGBTQ family studies and narrative research.
Regulatory Context
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is the UK's independent regulator overseeing fertility treatment and research using human embryos.
In 2005, the UK changed its laws regulating gamete donation from anonymous donation to identifiable donation.
As of October 2023, donor conceived people conceived on or after April 1, 2005 can access information about their donor's identity and request information about the identity of any donor siblings who have also expressed interest in contact at age 18.
Those conceived before the law change in 2005 do not have the same legal right to identifying information about their donors, who were guaranteed anonymity at the time of donation.
The UK has a voluntary register called the Donor Conceived Register (DCR) which allows donors and donor conceived people from before 2005 to voluntarily register and potentially match with each other.