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Two Dads: Gay Male Parenting and its Politicisation — A Cooperative Inquiry Action Research Study
Author(s) -
TuazonMcCheyne Jason
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.297
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1467-8438
pISSN - 0814-723X
DOI - 10.1375/anft.31.4.311
Subject(s) - politics , action (physics) , sociology , gender studies , political action , action research , project commissioning , publishing , social psychology , political science , psychology , law , pedagogy , physics , quantum mechanics
Australian gay men have only recently become parents through surrogacy arrangements. They have had to overcome a discriminatory legal, social, political, cultural and financial environment. A cooperative inquiry action research group was formed, with seven two‐father families conceived via surrogacy, to explore their journey to parenthood and their consequent politicisation as gay fathers. This article reveals how that experience of the cooperative inquiry process strengthened their resolve to be intentionally ‘out’ in their communities to overcome discriminatory and conservative social attitudes. They embraced the political reality of their parenting and were stimulated to create improved support structures for themselves and future parents. This transformed the legal, social, political and cultural environment for their families.