Humour Style, Identity, and Attachment Processes – An Analysis of Narratives from Nonheteronormative Parents Living in Poland

Abstract

This article presents the results of qualitative research on the narratives of non-heteronormative parents living in Poland. The method of collecting data was partially guided interview. The parents were a couple of women (a trans woman and a cisgender woman) aged 40. The examined woman did not undergo a medical or legal transition. The women were married and raised their child together. The article presents an analysis of humor in the couple’s narrative. The research was guided by the following research questions: In what contexts does humour appear? What styles of humour are present in the narrative? What function does the humour have? Which attachment style characterises the interactions between the partners? Which attachment style characterises the interactions between the parents and the child? What is the relationship between the development of the parents’ sexual/gender identities and their process of forming bonds in the couple? It was shown that during the interview, the couple joked in three main contexts: interaction with the child, sexual and gender identity, and sharing of household chores. The analysis of the style of humor, the psychological functions of humor and the attachment style of the women was made.