South African gay fathers’ parenting practices: from pathology to ‘normalisation’

Abstract

English: The article reflects the findings of a qualitative sociological study in which in-depth interviews and self-administered questionnaires were employed with gay fathers. The article highlights the realisation of the principles of generative fathering in the parenting practices of the fathers and the manner in which pathological views of gay men, in general, influenced these practices of the fathers. One of the findings underscored this objective by emphasising that sexual orientation played a minimal role in the parenting practices of gay fathers. Factors associated with the gay men’s own socialisation, parenting skills and support from their marital or life partners proved to be more influential in terms of their role as parents.

Afrikaans: Die artikel bied die bevindinge van ’n kwalitatiewe sosiologiese studie waarin in-diepte onderhoude en self-voltooide vraelyste met gay vaders gebruik is. Die artikel het ten doel om die realisering van die beginsels van generatiewe vaderskap in die ouerskapspraktyke van gay vaders uit te lig en om te fokus op die wyse waarop patologiese sienings van gay mans in die algemeen ’n invloed op die ouerskapspraktyke van gay vaders uitgeoefen het. Faktore soos die gay mans se eie sosialisering, ouerskapsvaardighede en ondersteuning van hul huweliks- of lewensmaats het ’n groter invloed op hul rol as vaders gehad.