Australian Gay Fathers’ Experiences of Family Formation Through Surrogacy

Abstract

The use of surrogacy is a contentious issue that attracts potent social and ethical implications. In Australia, surrogacy is governed by restrictive legislation that until recently excluded gay men. Gay men as fathers challenges traditional family structure and kinship norms, and as such, they must contend with additional complexities when forming their families. Limited literature currently exists regarding how prospective gay fathers traverse this process. Further understandings of gay fathers’ surrogacy experiences are required to examine how service provision, legislation, and broader community attitudes impact gay men and their much-desired families. This qualitative study contributes by examining Australian gay fathers’ surrogacy experiences described in submissions to the 2016 Australian parliamentary inquiry ‘Surrogacy Matters’. Employing reflexive thematic analysis, three themes were generated: (1) gay fathers are worthy parents, deserving of children; (2) the fine line between exploitation and benefits of surrogacy; and (3) risk versus reward: the risks gay fathers are willing to take to have a child. Themes underscored the social connotations that arise with gay men desiring children, societal pressures for gay men to prove their parental efficacy, restrictive legislation that lead many to break the law, and the desires and efforts of these men to avoid exploitation throughout this process. This research illustrates the imbalance of social attitudes around the deservingness of children and the lack of support and recognition of gay families in Australia. The findings highlight the need for change in societal attitudes concerning gay men as fathers and the need to review Australian surrogacy legislation.