Correlates of Taiwanese Gay and Bisexual Men’s Family-Building Preferences: A Mediation Analysis

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the role of filial piety, internalized homophobia, and desire for genetic relatedness with one’s child in gay and bisexual men’s family-building choice. A sample of 1,023 Taiwanese gay and bisexual men with a desire to have a child was recruited to complete an online survey that included the Contemporary Filial Piety Scale, the Chinese Internalized Homophobia Scale, and questions about desire for genetic relatedness with a child and acceptance of adoption and surrogacy. Mediation models, with desire for genetic relatedness as a mediator, were tested. The results show that those who chose surrogacy-only were older and had higher socio-economic status than those who selected adoption-only and both options. Filial piety and internalized homophobia were positively associated with the acceptance of surrogacy-only over adoption-only and both options. Desire for genetic relatedness mediated these relationships. This finding elucidates how sociocultural factors shape family-building preferences among gay and bisexual men.

KEYWORDS:

• Family-building
• Taiwanese
• gay and bisexual men
• surrogacy
• adoption
• filial piety
• internalized homophobia

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all survey respondents for their participation. This study was supported by the Research Grants Council under General Research Fund Early Career Scheme #27616418.