Papers by Susie Bower-Brown
Human Reproduction
Study question What are the experiences of trans and/or non-binary (TNB) parents during the perin... more Study question What are the experiences of trans and/or non-binary (TNB) parents during the perinatal period (defined here as conception, pregnancy, birth and infant feeding)? Summary answer TNB parents often experience extensive cisgenderist discrimination at a structural level (via inappropriate legislation and bureaucracy) and an interactional level (from other parents/healthcare professionals). What is known already Although TNB people have always parented, it is only recently that their experiences are becoming more socially visible. Some research has explored the pregnancy experiences of trans men, finding that men report feelings of isolation and find it difficult to integrate pregnancy with a male identity. However, little research has explored the perinatal experiences of non-binary parents and TNB non-birth parents. Additionally, preliminary research in the US suggests that TNB parents report negative experiences within fertility clinics, and that some parents deliberately...
Family Relations
Objectives: What motivates same-gender female couples to choose reciprocal in vitro fertilization... more Objectives: What motivates same-gender female couples to choose reciprocal in vitro fertilization (IVF)? Do their experiences of becoming and being a mother via reciprocal IVF match their pre-parenthood expectations? Background: Reciprocal IVF is a treatment route available to cis, same-gender female couples, and other couples in which both partners have a uterus and egg stores. One partner's egg is retrieved, fertilized in vitro with donor sperm, then carried by the other partner. Existing debate has considered the ethical implications of this treatment route. To date, no empirical research has explored the experiences of families who have used reciprocal IVF. Method: Semistructured interviews were conducted with genetic and gestational mothers in 14 families headed by cis, same gender female couples who had conceived by reciprocal IVF in the United Kingdom (N = 28 mothers). Data were analyzed according to the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were constructed: (a) becoming mums together; (b) legitimacy: "who's the real mum"; (c) choices and constraints; and (d) biological connections strengthen family connections. Conclusion: Families had multiple and nuanced motivations for choosing reciprocal IVF, such as the desire to share the journey of motherhood with their partner, to be perceived as legitimate parents, to overcome practical barriers, and to build strong family relationships. Mothers' pre-parenthood expectations often mismatched the reality of becoming and being a mother via reciprocal IVF. Most
Journal of Public Health, 2021
Background Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young people’s increased risk of self-harm, suicidal a... more Background Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young people’s increased risk of self-harm, suicidal attempts and suicide compared with heterosexual youth is well established. The current study sought to examine whether these findings also apply to the trans (T) population and which factors act as additional risk or protective factors. Methods In a national cross-sectional survey, 3713 LGBT adolescents, aged 11–19 years, reported on their own history of self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, as well as their experiences of school and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. Logistic regressions tested the association between risk and protective factors on self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Results A high proportion of the sample reported self-harm (65.3%), suicidal ideation (73.8%) and suicide attempts (25.7%). Demographic risk factors included identifying as female, non-binary or trans and being from a low-income background. Bullying and online bullying...
LGBTQ+ Family: An Interdisciplinary Journal
Individuals who are trans and/or non-binary (TNB) – especially those in the life stages of adoles... more Individuals who are trans and/or non-binary (TNB) – especially those in the life stages of adolescence and parenthood – occupy a marginalised social position and are often the focus of political and public debate. Each of these life stages involves interactions between individuals and institutions: adolescents must attend school daily, and parents must engage with institutions both on the journey to parenthood (e.g. fertility, pregnancy and adoption services) and after becoming a parent (e.g. play groups, nursery and their child(ren)'s school). These experiences are therefore worthy of study from sociological and social psychological perspectives, but such research is limited. This thesis aims to address these gaps by qualitatively exploring the experiences and identities of TNB individuals during adolescence and parenthood. Underpinned by the theoretical framework of structural symbolic interactionism, it is composed of two studies; one that examines the experiences of gender-d...
Background: Research on trans and non-binary parents has identified challenges in integrating par... more Background: Research on trans and non-binary parents has identified challenges in integrating parenting and gender identities, and in navigating stigmatizing environments. Studies have also highlig...
Journal of LGBT Youth
A growing number of adolescents are using a number of different identities to describe their gend... more A growing number of adolescents are using a number of different identities to describe their gender. Schools have been noted for their uninclusive environments and high levels of discrimination for LGBTQ þ individuals, yet research has neglected the school experiences of UK gender-diverse adolescents. This article explores the school experiences and navigation strategies of gender-diverse adolescents in the UK, examining the experiences of binary-trans, non-binary and gender-questioning adolescents separately. The data presented in this article come from a large survey of LGBTQ þ young people's social experiences; a subsample of 74 adolescents' (25 binary-trans, 25 non-binary, and 24 genderquestioning) open-ended responses were selected for qualitative thematic analysis. Findings highlight that gender-diverse adolescents experience discrimination within the school environment from the curriculum, space, peers and teachers, and a number of strategies, including disclosure negotiation, cognitive restructuring and proactive protection, are used to navigate this environment. Findings shed light on the school experiences of gender-diverse adolescents, and suggest that the British school system is fundamentally unsuitable for nonbinary and gender-questioning identities.
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Papers by Susie Bower-Brown