De novo Families: Lesbian Motherhood

ABSTRACT

The aim of this recent Australian study was to explore the experiences of lesbian women choosing motherhood. Participants included 30 self-identifying lesbian mothers. Data were collected via interviews, data collection sheets, and online journaling. The interview and journaling data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis and subsequently illuminated three main themes: becoming mothers, constructing motherhood, and legitimizing our family. These papers described the journey to motherhood and specifically explored the various methods of conception and other decisions that participants made when planning their family, the challenge of heteronormativity in health care, and legitimizing the role of the non-birth mother in de novo families. This article aims to present the participants’ experiences of motherhood that was a constant topic found woven throughout all three of the identified themes. Participants identified that they had a unique opportunity to create their own mothering roles in the absence of significant “lesbian mother” role models and that they were able to adjust and to adapt their roles depending on fluctuating circumstances.

KEYWORDS:

• De novo
• heteronormativity
• lesbian
• motherhood
• mothering
• resilience