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Lesbian Parenting: Rebellious or Conformist?

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Rethinking Feminist Theories for Social Work Practice

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Abstract

This chapter will explore the discourses around lesbian parenting, to consider whether it remains ‘progressive’ as an alternative family form, whether it is now so commonplace that it is normalised or whether it occupies another different space altogether. I provide a brief overview of the history of lesbian parenting in the UK before considering how various discourses over this time attached meaning to lesbians having and raising children. I will reflect on how social work practice with lesbian parents has changed and discuss how the learning applies to working with queer families.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

    Christine Cocker

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  1. Christine Cocker
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Correspondence to Christine Cocker .

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  1. School of Social Work, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

    Christine Cocker

  2. School of Social Work and Social Policy, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

    Trish Hafford-Letchfield

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Cocker, C. (2022). Lesbian Parenting: Rebellious or Conformist?. In: Cocker, C., Hafford-Letchfield, T. (eds) Rethinking Feminist Theories for Social Work Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94241-0_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94241-0_15

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