Navigating Structural and Symbolic Inequalities on the Path to Parenthood
Navigating Structural and Symbolic Inequalities on the Path to Parenthood
Adoption Agencies, the Legal System, and Beyond
This chapter examines the formal and informal barriers that gay men encounter as they seek to build their families through adoption. It considers how broader social and legal inequities, such as state laws regarding gay adoption, influence the path to parenthood of gay men, as well as the ways that gay men negotiate and respond to such inequities. It also explores gay fathers' ideas about and valuing of marriage and the degree to which they view marriage once they become parents. Finally, it discusses the impact of geographic and economic privilege on gay men's ability to resist or circumvent heteronormativity in the adoption process. It shows that gay men are vulnerable to heterosexism and sexism at many stages and levels of the adoption process, from the legal system to adoption agencies and birth parents.
Keywords: gay men, adoption, state laws, gay adoption, parenthood, gay fathers, marriage, heteronormativity, heterosexism, birth parents
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