A monoparentalidade adotiva em perspectiva: uma análise a partir dos marcadores de gênero e orientação sexual

Abstract

This thesis investigates how the model of adoptive single parenthood can be analyzed based on gender and sexual orientation markers, as well as the prospect of this model for people with no marital ties. The aim of this work is to understand adoptive single parenthood in different sexual and gender orientations, as well as to identify the barriers arising from the prejudice experienced and the experiences of prospective parenthood among single people in the groups surveyed. The thesis consists of five chapters. The first chapter presents a theoretical discussion on adoptive single parenthood, gender and homosexuality, establishing a dialog and interconnecting these themes. The results show that the academic debate on single parenthood is still little explored, especially in relation to minority groups. In addition, attitudinal barriers are relevant to the experience of prejudice. The second chapter deals with an empirical study on adoption and attitudes related to acceptance and opposition, involving the participation of 952 people living in the Northeast region of Brazil. The data revealed that there is greater opposition to adoption by sexual minorities among heterosexuals, married people and those with a right-wing political orientation. The third chapter consists of a quasi-experimental scenario-based study, also carried out with 952 participants from the same region. The non-heterosexual models proved to be more relevant in predicting judgments. At the same time, the acceptance of homo-parental adoption, evidenced in the scenarios presented, contributes to explaining the acceptance of single parenthood, since correlated elements are present in both situations. The fourth chapter explores the desire and intention of parenthood among people who do not yet exercise this role, focusing on the general population of the Northeast region. A total of 662 people who declared themselves single were interviewed. The research showed that the measures related to desire and parental intention showed invariance in the groups studied, while the correlations of the bivariate analyses showed significant differences in the conduct of desire and parental intention, depending on sexual identity. The fifth chapter takes up the debate in the light of the bioecological theory of development and the theory of minority stress, with the aim of analyzing single-parent experiences. The results showed that the choice of single parenthood is anchored in personal, emotional and social aspects. Furthermore, single-parent experiences can be permeated by both challenges and benefits, respectively: 1) prejudices, anticipated stigma and difficulties in accessing social support; and 2) greater freedom in the single-parent experience and dissociation between parenthood and conjugality. In summary, the results confirm the initial hypothesis of the thesis: although there are legal and social advances in certain aspects, the experience of adoptive single parenthood demands more significant emotional resources, social support and family support from individuals than other forms of parenting. These specificities give single parenthood marked differences from other family models. Finally, the findings of this research highlight the need for further studies to expand knowledge about this family model, helping to reduce prejudice and discrimination.