Intersectional Analysis of the Life Course of LGBTQ+ Parent Families in Québec: Partial and Homonormative Inclusion

ABSTRACT

Over the past 20 years, Québec has seen significant legislative changes that have led to an increase in the number of families with LGBTQ+ parents. Moreover, Québec has been a pioneer in recognizing LGBTQ+ families since 2002 with Bill 84. In fact, no nation had gone as far in terms of recognition. However, despite this avant-garde legal context, which has made it possible for many same-sex couples to establish their families with greater ease and recognition, unequal access to this institution still affects LGBTQ+ parents. In fact, these parents do not all experience the same realities, and the possibilities for forming a family remain complex for many, especially for trans and non-binary parents. Based on 38 in-depth interviews with LGBTQ+ parents, this article explores the multiple forms of families and the different experiences of oppressions these families encounter based on their different social locations. These data are part of the important SAVIE-LGBTQ research partnership (SSHRC 2016–2023), which aims to identify the different experiences of inclusion and exclusion encountered by LGBTQ+ communities in Québec.

KEYWORDS:

• Discrimination
• family
• homonormativity
• intersectionality
• LGBT studies
• qualitative
• discourse analysis
• law

Acknowledgments

The team developing the SAVIE-LGBTQ research wishes to thank all the participants who entrusted their experiences to SAVIE-LGBTQ. We also thank the entire team of co-researchers and collaborators, partner organizations and representatives of organizations associated with the research. The SAVIE-LGBTQ research was made possible through funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and contributions from partners and other organizations contributing to the project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. In 2013, the Province of Québec adopted the Act to amend the Civil Code in matters of civil status, inheritance and publication of rights. Among other things, this law amends article 71 of the Civil Code of Québec to allow trans people to change the sex designation on their birth certificate and other identity documents without previously having to undergo medical treatment or surgery. This law came into effect in 2015.

2. In our study, the step-parents were the participants who were in a relationship with a person who had at least one child (from a previous relationship or on their own). The step-parent maintains a relationship with the child and sees themselves as a parental figure. This relationship may also have taken place in the past. The criterion here was to self-identify as a step-parent at some point in one’s life.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.