Men, trans/masculine, and non-binary people negotiating conception: Normative resistance and inventive pragmatism
Damien W. Riggs, Carla A. Pfeffer, Ruth Pearce, Sally Hines, Francis Ray White
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Growing numbers of men, trans/masculine, and non-binary people are undertaking pregnancies, yet relatively little is known about the experiences of this diverse population in regard to conception. AIMS: This study sought to examine men's, trans/masculine, and non-binary people's experiences of pregnancy, including conception. METHODS: were used as an analytic tool. RESULTS: Themes developed focused on: 1) choosing a clinic donor, 2) kinship with donors, 3) conceiving via intercourse with a partner, 4) negotiating receipt of donor sperm, 5) challenges associated with known donors, 6) challenges associated with fertility clinics, and 7) experiences of conception. DISCUSSION: The forms of normative resistance and inventive pragmatism identified suggest that men, trans/masculine, and non-binary people who are gestational parents seek to normalize their experiences of conception, while also acknowledging the specific challenges they face.