Journal article
Access to reproductive technologies by single women and lesbians: social representations and public debate
Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol.19(4), pp.241-256
2009
Abstract
A landmark decision in 2000 by the Federal Court of Australia (FCA) allowed access to medically assisted reproductive technologies (MART) regardless of marital status, i.e. by single women and lesbians. This decision sparked much debate, including comments by the Prime Minister of Australia and hundreds of letters to newspapers around the country. In this study, 180 letters to the editor in two newspapers were analyzed to identify themes and processes relevant to conceptualizing who should have access to MART. Representations of family were particularly evident and themes supported the traditional family structure of a mother, father and children, arguing that access to MART should be restricted to this family form. However, emerging representations of family, based on themes of positive parenting values, independent of gender and number of parents, were also observed, suggesting that political agendas restricting MART to heterosexual family structures are not supported by public consensus, or by the emerging acceptance of alternative family forms.
Details
- Title
- Access to reproductive technologies by single women and lesbians: social representations and public debate
- Authors/Creators
- H.M. Correia (Author/Creator) - Murdoch UniversityP. Broderick (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, Vol.19(4), pp.241-256
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Identifiers
- 991005541393107891
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Psychology
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.81 Reproductive Biology
- 1.81.979 Assisted Reproduction
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychology, Social
- ESI research areas
- Psychiatry/Psychology