Psychology

Invisibility and involvement: LGBTQ community connections among plurisexual women during pregnancy and postpartum

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Little research has examined the experiences of plurisexual women (i.e., those with attractions to more than one gender) during the transition to parenthood, despite the fact that many plurisexual women intend to become parents. Further, no research has specifically explored plurisexual mothers' lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community connections, although many studies highlight the importance of social support for (a) sexual minority individuals and (b) mothers. The current study investigated LGBTQ community connections among 29 plurisexual women with different-gender partners during the perinatal period. Participants completed interviews once during late pregnancy, and three times in the year after giving birth. Thematic analysis of the interview data explored how participants conceptualized community, finding that women varied in their level of and desire for engagement in both LGBTQ and parenting communities. Participants' accounts suggested that various barriers restricted their involvement (e.g., practical barriers such as time constraints, community-level barriers such as perceived rejection from LGBTQ communities, and psychological factors such as internalized stigma). At the same time, several women identified LGBTQ others as sources of support during the transition to parenthood, and many expressed a desire for their children to be connected to LGBTQ communities. Findings have implications for how researchers conceptualize community, provide insight into the disconnection between plurisexual women and LGBTQ communities, and suggest possibilities to increase LGBTQ community accessibility during this period.

Publication Title

Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

Publication Date

2018

Volume

5

Issue

2

First Page

169

Last Page

181

ISSN

2329-0382

DOI

10.1037/sgd0000285

Keywords

bisexual, LGBT community, perinatal, plurisexual, pregnancy

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