LGBTIQ Parenthood in Croatia: Experiences and Perceptions

Abstract

A growing number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ1) people want to have or already have children (e.g. Goldberg and Allen, 2013; Pew Research survey, 2013). Scientific research published to date, including longitudinal and national probability studies, provides strong evidence that parental sexual orientation is not related to parenting effectiveness (adams and Light, 2015; Crouch et al., 2014; Goldberg and Allen, 2013; Manning, Fettro and Lamidi, 2014; Vučković Juroš, 2017). In other words, children growing up with LGBTIQ parents are similar to children living with heterosexual parents as concerns many relevant outcomes, including children’s wellbeing, academic achievement, cognitive development, social skills and mental health. Although societies differ in levels of formal or informal acknowledgement and in terms of the acceptance of LGBTIQ people, negative reactions are easily provoked when discussing LGBTIQ parenthood (Takács, Szalma and Bartus, 2016). Unlike families with heterosexual parents, families with LGBTIQ parents largely lack legal as well as social recognition and support (Takács and Szalma, 2011). They are also often exposed to stigmatization and discrimination (Takács, 2015). These negative experiences can have a broad negative impact on the wellbeing of LGBTIQ people and their children (Appell, 2003; Bos et al., 2004; Patterson, Fulcher and Wainright, 2002; Weber, 2010). Since the early 2000s, Croatian society has witnessed significant formal and societal changes in the direction of greater acceptance and acknowledgement of LGBTIQ people and their rights (Jurčić, 2018). Nonetheless, public discussions over the family lives of LGBTIQ people remain mostly negative and frequently do not move beyond expressions of personal attitudes and prejudice (Hodžić and Štulhofer, 2017). In general, public levels of recognition and knowledge about the families of LGBTIQ individuals are low (Kamenov, Huić and Jelić, 2017; Jugović and Ogresta, 2017). Furthermore, scientific studies on sexual orientation and gender identities are very rare within the Croatian context. While there are many in-