Same-sex parents’ beliefs and experiences regarding their children’s school trajectories
This dissertation investigates same-sex parents’ experiences in their relationship with their children’s school in an attempt to point out their beliefs, thoughts and perceptions in their interaction with the school institution. The aim of this research project is to analyse the ways in which same-sex parents participate and deal with the school, as well as how they are confronted by the school environment. The research is based on qualitative data captured through ten semi-structured interviews with same-sex parents. The data indicate that heteronormative discourse remains hegemonic leading to homoparentality’s invisibility in the school context. More specifically, the research findings highlight a lack of homoparental families’ inclusion as a result of heteronormative beliefs and normative discourses in the curriculum and school textbooks. In addition, the research reflects on the tactics that homosexual parents adopt when confronted with implicit and explicit homophobic attitudes. Finally, the research findings discuss the social changes that may possibly come in the future through the cracks of heteronormativity and homoparental families’ request for institutional recognition.