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Does same-sex marriage legalization make gay men want to have children? findings from a panel study in Taiwan
Date Issued
2023
ISSN
1553-6610
1868-9884
Citation
Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 2023, Vol. 20, pp. 1267-1275.
Type
Peer Reviewed Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction
This study capitalized on prospective legal change in Taiwan to capture changes in gay men’s desires and attitudes toward parenthood as a function of the legalization of same-sex marriage (SSM).
Methods
A panel of 731 gay men (mean age = 26.8 years ± 5.81) completed an online survey between 2019 and 2020, shortly before and 1½ years after the legalization of SSM, to report their parenting desire, marital status, and attitudes toward parenthood and marriage.
Results
This study found that fewer participants in the follow-up survey expressed a parenting desire (59.0% vs. 74.2%), and the perceived importance of parenthood dropped mildly (3.48 to 3.26, Cohen’s d = 0.269). Those who expressed a consistent parenting desire attached greater importance to SSM. The perceived importance of SSM was modestly and positively related to the perceived importance of having a child.
Conclusion
Although the decrease in parenting desire and its perceived importance may be attributable to a lack of access to family-building options (e.g., surrogacy and adoption) and the COVID-19 pandemic, our findings illustrate that parenthood might become a next step for some Taiwanese male same-sex couples who married or considered marriage.
Policy Implications
The study findings provide information for policymakers to gauge the possible number of sexual minority men who might want to have a child and consider resource allocation and deliberation on policy changes related to reproduction.
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