Conceived Through Rape/Incest? Adoptive Parents' Experiences Managing Uncertainty and Disclosure Surrounding their Children's Origins.

Adoptive parents may be placed with children conceived under difficult circumstances, such as via rape or incest. At the same time, adoptive parents are generally encouraged to communicate openly with their children about their adoption stories and birth families. No research has examined the experiences of parents who adopt children who were conceived through rape or incest. This exploratory study examines how parents discuss their decision-making when adopting children conceived via rape or incest, how they manage varying levels of uncertainty about their children's origins, and whether and how they plan to disclose this information to children. The researchers used thematic analysis to examine the experiences of 11 couples (22 parents) interviewed at four time points after adopting children who were reportedly conceived via rape or incest. Findings revealed that even soon after adopting, parents discussed the need to eventually talk to their children about their conception circumstances. Parents generally struggled to determine how and when to disclose this information, particularly when they felt uncertain about the veracity of the conception stories they had been told. Some hoped to rely on professionals or birth mothers to guide them in these communications. Findings have implications for supporting adoptive families as they navigate the complexity of managing sensitive information and uncertainty when adopting children conceived through rape or incest. Practitioners should provide ongoing guidance to adoptive parents about how and when to disclose developmentally appropriate information to children about difficult conception circumstances.

Los padres adoptivos pueden recibir niños concebidos en circunstancias difíciles, por ejemplo, por violación o incesto. Al mismo tiempo, a los padres adoptivos generalmente se los anima a comunicarse abiertamente con sus hijos acerca de las historias sobre su adopción y sus familias biológicas. Ninguna investigación ha analizado las experiencias de los padres que adoptan a niños que fueron concebidos por violación o incesto. Este estudio exploratorio analiza cómo los padres debaten su toma de decisiones cuando adoptan a niños concebidos mediante violación o incesto, cómo manejan los diversos niveles de incertidumbre acerca de los orígenes de sus hijos, y si planean revelar esta información a los niños y cómo lo harán. Los investigadores utilizaron el análisis temático para analizar las experiencias de 11 parejas (22 padres) entrevistadas en cuatro momentos específicos después de adoptar a niños que supuestamente fueron concebidos por violación o incesto. Los resultados revelaron que incluso poco después de adoptar, los padres analizaron la necesidad de hablar finalmente con sus hijos acerca de las circunstancias de su concepción. A los padres generalmente les costó decidir cómo y cuándo revelar esta información, particularmente cuando se sentían inseguros acerca de la veracidad de las historias sobre la concepción que les habían contado. Algunos esperaban contar con profesionales o con las madres biológicas para que los guíen en estas comunicaciones. Los hallazgos tienen consecuencias para el apoyo a familias adoptivas que sortean la complejidad de manejar información sensible y la incertidumbre cuando adoptan a niños concebidos por violación o incesto. Los profesionales deberían proporcionar orientación constante a los padres adoptivos sobre cómo y cuándo revelar a sus hijos información adecuada para el desarrollo acerca de las circunstancias difíciles de su concepción.

Sexuality and Sexual Identity Across the First Year of Parenthood Among Male-Partnered Plurisexual Women.

Women who (a) hold plurisexual identities (e.g., bisexual, pansexual) and (b) are male-partnered are understudied. Of interest is how these women construct their sexual identities across the transition to parenthood-a period associated with intensified heteronormative expectations, and changes in women's roles and identities. This longitudinal study of 28 plurisexual, male-partnered women examined women's sexual identity construction across the first year of parenthood, using four waves of data. Most women were White, bisexual-identified, and first-time parents. The majority of women described decreases in the salience or centrality of their sexuality more generally. Almost all women continued to hold plurisexual identities across the first year of parenthood, although many described these as private identities amidst public assumptions of heterosexuality. Some, though, sought to maintain a connection to their plurisexual identities through sexual identity disclosure, same-gender fantasies, and involvement in consensual nonmonogamy. Although only one woman articulated a shift in sexual identity label (from bicurious to heterosexual), others increasingly distanced themselves from their same-gender behaviors and desires. Our findings illustrate how women engage in an active process of sexual identity construction amidst heteronormative pressures, and how they navigate tensions amongst their partnership and parenthood statuses and their private identities and past behaviors.

Invisibility and Involvement: LGBTQ Community Connections among Plurisexual Women during Pregnancy and Postpartum.

Little research has examined the experiences of plurisexual women (i.e., those with attractions to more than one gender) during the transition to parenthood, despite the fact that many plurisexual women intend to become parents. Further, no research has specifically explored plurisexual mothers' LGBTQ community connections, although many studies highlight the importance of social support for (a) sexual minority individuals and (b) mothers. The current study investigated LGBTQ community connection among 29 plurisexual women with different-gender partners during the perinatal period. Participants completed interviews once during late pregnancy, and three times in the year after giving birth. Thematic analysis of the interview data explored how participants conceptualized community, finding that women varied in their level of and desire for engagement in both LGBTQ and parenting communities. Participants' accounts suggested that various barriers restricted their involvement (e.g., practical barriers such as time constraints, community-level barriers such as perceived rejection from LGBTQ communities, and psychological factors such as internalized stigma). At the same time, several women identified LGBTQ others as sources of support during the transition to parenthood, and many expressed a desire for their children to be connected to LGBTQ communities. Findings have implications for how researchers conceptualize community, provide insight into the disconnection between plurisexual women and LGBTQ communities, and suggest possibilities to increase LGBTQ community accessibility during this period.

Consensual Nonmonogamy in Pregnancy and Parenthood: Experiences of Bisexual and Plurisexual Women With Different-Gender Partners.

The current study constitutes a qualitative investigation of experiences with and perceptions of consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) among a sample of 21 bisexual and plurisexual women with different-gender partners. Participants from Massachusetts, USA, and Toronto, Canada, were interviewed four times during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Using an inductive qualitative approach, we found participants were selective about CNM disclosure, and generally apprehensive about stigma surrounding CNM involvement. Additionally, results emphasize the importance of communication and highlight the range of barriers to and benefits of CNM endorsed by these parents. Directions for future research and implications for practitioners are discussed.

Heterogeneity in Gender/Sex Sexualities: An Exploration of Gendered Physical and Psychological Traits in Attractions to Women and Men.

Sexuality research has generally privileged attractions based on partners' sexed physical bodies over attractions based on other features, including gender expression and personality traits. Gender may actually be quite central to sexual attractions. However, its role has received little empirical attention. To explore how gendered and sexed features, among others, are related to sexual attractions, the current study assessed how sexually diverse individuals described their attractions to feminine, masculine, and gender-nonspecific features of women and men. A sample of 280 individuals responded to the open-ended questions: "What do you find attractive in a man?" and "What do you find attractive in a woman?" We coded responses as pertaining to physical and/or psychological features, and as being gendered masculine, feminine, or gender-nonspecific. Our analyses showed that participants named gender-nonspecific features most frequently in responses to both questions, feminine features more than masculine features in attractions to women, and masculine features more than feminine features in attractions to men. Additionally, participants named feminine physical features more than masculine physical features, and masculine psychological features more than feminine psychological features, both in their attractions to women and overall. These results highlight the importance of considering attractions based on gender, rather than sex alone.

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

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.

Characterizing non-monosexual women at risk for poor mental health outcomes: A mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVES: Non-monosexual women - those who report attraction to or sexual relationships with individuals of more than one gender - have elevated risk for poor mental health outcomes. We aimed to examine which elements of non-monosexual experience are associated with this elevated risk. METHODS: We conducted a sequential exploratory mixed methods analysis of qualitative interview and survey data from 39 non-monosexual women recruited consecutively through prenatal care providers. Qualitative analyses identified distinguishing features, and quantitative analyses tested associations between these features and mental health symptoms. RESULTS: Nine qualitative themes were identified to describe distinguishing features of non-monosexual women. Of these, current and past five years partner gender, lack of LGBTQ community connection, and low centrality of sexual minority identity were associated with anxiety symptoms. Latent class analysis revealed significantly higher levels of anxiety symptoms among non-monosexual women partnered with men relative to those partnered with women. CONCLUSION: Sexual minority women who partner with men may be particularly at risk for poor mental health. Considering this group's invisibility in public health research and practice, interventions are needed to address this disparity.

Male-Partnered Sexual Minority Women: Sexual Identity Disclosure to Health Care Providers During the Perinatal Period.

Male-partnered sexual minority women (SMW) have received little research attention, despite the fact that they represent a large proportion of SMW - particularly child-bearing SMW. Male-partnered SMW are less "out" than female-partnered SMW and will likely be "read" as heterosexual by perinatal providers. Given this, and evidence that pregnant women have unique mental health care needs, the current study focuses on male-partnered SMW (n = 28) during the perinatal period, recruited from Toronto, Canada and Massachusetts, USA, in an effort to understand disclosure and concealment processes in general and to perinatal heath care providers specifically. Women generally reported that they did not disclose (but made no effort to conceal) their sexual identities and histories in new or unfamiliar relationships, largely because the topic rarely came up, although some women highlighted bisexual invisibility and fear of biphobia as reasons for non-disclosure. Despite overall positive experiences with perinatal providers, less than one-quarter of the sample (n = 6) had disclosed their sexual identities and histories to them. Most women felt that this information was generally not relevant to their health care, and particularly their reproductive/obstetric care, although some believed that disclosure would be appropriate under conditions of sexual health risk (n = 8). Others noted that although they did not feel the need to disclose, they did prefer an LGBQ-affirming provider (n = 7). Findings provide insight into male-partnered SMW's views and patterns of disclosure during the perinatal period, and have implications for providers, organizations, and scholars who interface with SMW. Pregnant sexual minority women with male partners are often assumed to be heterosexual, raising questions about whether and when these women disclose their sexual minority status in the perinatal context. This qualitative study of 28 women found that most participants did not share their sexual identity or sexual histories with their perinatal health care providers because this information was perceived as not relevant to their care, although some women nevertheless valued having LGBTQ friendly providers.