Meeting other moms: Lesbian adoptive mothers' relationships with other parents at school and beyond

ABSTRACT

Little research has examined the friendships of lesbian parents, especially within the context of children's schools. This study of 40 lesbian adoptive parents (20 couples) focused on their relationships with other parents in the school community and how sexual orientation, race, and class dynamics impacted these relationships. Half of the participants described friendships with parents at the school, sometimes in spite of demographic differences, whereas others felt disconnected due to these differences. Outside of school, most participants reported friendships with other lesbian/gay parents. Parents who felt less connected to other parents at school tended to describe more lesbian/gay parent connections. Findings highlight the impact of life stage and context in shaping friendship patterns among lesbian parents.

KEYWORDS:

• Adoption
• friendship
• lesbian parents
• school
• social networks

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Spencer Foundation and a grant from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abbie E. Goldberg

Abbie E. Goldberg is an associate professor of psychology at Clark University, whose research examines diverse and marginalized families across various stages of the life course.

Reihonna L. Frost

Reihonna L. Frost is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Clark University who is studying the experiences of diverse adoptive families, including sibling relationships.

Melissa H. Manley

Kaitlin A. Black is a developmental psychology doctoral student at Clark University who is studying the experiences of LGBTQ emerging adults from evangelical Christian backgrounds.

Kaitlin A. Black

Melissa H. Manley is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Clark University, with research interests in the experiences of people with marginalized sexualities, relationalities, and gender identities.